Hybrids: Outbreak
by Twilight Equinox
Summary: Ash becomes Team Rocket's latest experiment and he vows to get revenge. But the darkness inside of him threatens to push him over the edge. Can he tame the beast inside himself or is he doomed to become just what Team Rocket wants: A mutated supersoldier?
1. Infection

**Intro:** Hi everyone! This is my first entry in an ongoing story. Please read and review it: that way I can improve the series along the way. I hope you guys enjoy it and the next part will be coming soon. Also, let it be known that I do not own Pokemon or it's characters. Just gonna throw that out there.

This story is rated M for extreme violence, gore, mature themes, sexual situations, dark elements...basically everything that makes an M rated story worth reading!

* * *

**Hybrids: First Iteration  
**

**Strand 1: Infection  
**

It was unbelievably hot outside. The sun was out, beating down on anyone unlucky enough to be stuck outdoors, and the air was humid and muggy. The uncomfortable warmth clung to the air like a thick fog. Even the air conditioning inside the local Pokecenter did little to cool down the midday heat.

Ash Ketchum lazily spun a pokeball around on his finger. He was sprawled out on a blue sofa in the lobby of the conveniently located Pokecenter, one leg hanging off the edge of the cushions. His green jacket and hat were lying on the ground in a heap next to his shoes. He groaned and wiped the sweat off his forehead. The warmth was really starting to get to him. He shifted roughly and tugged at his pants. "This heat is bogus." He announced. "I'm sweating like crazy and it's making my balls stick to my legs."

Across the room, a redheaded girl sat up in the chair she was in. She had been fanning herself with a yellow leaflet, but stopped when Ash spoke up. She twisted up her face and stuck out her tongue. "Gee, thanks Ash. I really needed to know that." Ash, no longer a stranger to the concept of sarcasm, rolled his eyes and continued readjusting himself. The girl sighed and looked away. "But you do have a point. This heat is insufferable."

"What are you complaining about Misty?" Ash asked. "I'm the one in a black t-shirt. You're hardly wearing anything at all." He nodded to her choice of apparel: small cut-off shorts and her usual yellow midriff shirt with suspenders to keep everything in place. She blushed, but only for a second.

"You know, you're probably the only guy who would complain about that." She glared at him and her voice was a growl. "Besides, you're the genius who was so eager to accept Professor Oak's invitation that you couldn't wait until summer was over. You only have yourself to blame, idiot."

"Oh, like it's taking that long." He reached down into his crumpled-up jacket and produced two small badges. "It's only been nine days and I already have the Whirlwind Badge and the Tidal Badge. That only leaves 5 more gym leaders to beat and the Violet Isle League is complete. And with Oak's trainee pokemon, no less." He grinned smugly. "I bet it only takes me another two weeks at the most."

"I know. I was there when you won those badges." Misty said indignantly. She wanted to try and belittle his accomplishment to knock him down a peg or two, but she couldn't do it. He had truly earned them, after all. The headstrong boy had finally learned some strategy to fighting. _I guess some things do change._ She thought to herself. She pushed the thought away roughly. Some things do change, but most things stay the same. "But you are denser than I thought if you think you can do it in two weeks. If you're making such stupendous time, why are we wasting the whole day in this Pokecenter?"

Ash was about to speak up, when there was a loud ruffling of papers. Both teens turned to the third occupied chair to witness Brock putting down the newspaper he was holding. Sweat was beaded on his face and he did not look happy. He pinched the bridge of his nose and sighed audibly. "I swear…you two don't ever quit, do you? I was hoping spending time apart during the Hoenn and Battle Frontier leagues would give you guys time to mature, but noooooo." Brock shook his head. Even though they were both seventeen now, they didn't act any different from when they were twelve. There may have been a few physical changes between them-the appearance of curves on Misty and muscles on Ash-but they were still kids at heart. "Listen, it's hot and sticky and all-around miserable and the last thing I want to do is hear you two argue and fight." He picked up his paper and went back to reading.

"Aww, come on Brocko." Ash smiled at him. "We're just letting off some steam. Right, Misty?" He asked, turning his head. She gave him a look that said, simply, that she was not. Ash gulped and went back to looking at Brock. He squinted and read the cover of the newspaper. "Astonishing Pokemon News?" Ash said incredulously. "Are you kidding me? You read that shit?"

"Hey!" Brock yelled at him. "Language!" He nodded in the direction of two young trainers who were handing their pokemon over for healing. Ash smiled sheepishly and Brock sighed. He wasn't sure when it happened, but Ash had developed a habit of swearing. He probably thought it made him seem older, but it usually had the opposite effect. "And just because you've learned some new vocabulary doesn't mean you need to flaunt it."

"Oh, haha." Ash muttered. "A lesson in maturity from the guy reading tabloids." He laid back down and went back to spinning the empty pokeball on his finger. "What are you reading about anyway? Are aliens stealing trainers' Miltanks? Maybe it's a report on a new pokemon that's 6 feet tall, hairy, and has a large zipper on it's back." He instinctively went for his pocket to pull out some treats for Pikachu, then stopped when he remembered his empty shoulder. _Oh yeah…_

"Humorous." Brock said, not looking up. "Actually, it's a story about some recent sightings in the Violet Isle region. Pretty close to where we are, actually. Apparently, some hikers have claimed to have seen a half man-half pokemon in the woods."

"Oh, this I have to see!" Misty exclaimed, getting up from her chair. She walked over behind Brock and read over his shoulder. Ash rolled his eyes, but got up and walked over next to Misty anyway.

"Does it happen to mention on the sobriety of these hikers?" Ash asked, looking at the photo. "Oh, come on! You can even tell how badly it's been edited. You can practically see the airbrushing." He pointed to the picture. Misty punched his arm and Ash winced.

"Jesus!" He seethed through his teeth. "What the fuck was that for?"

"Language!" Brock said, his voice a little tenser.

"Let Brock have his fun." Misty scolded the other boy. "He doesn't ruin your hobbies, does he? Hell, he even agreed to come along with you while you complete Oak's challenge."

"Yeah, I know. So did you. Although, I vaguely remember you both having alternate reasons for joining me." He looked skyward innocently. "Something about a great Pokemon breeding library for Brock and I think you mentioned something about getting a tan and meeting some hot guys."

"I could be at that library right now." Brock mumbled. "Instead of listening to you two go on like third-graders at recess."

"And I should be at the beaches." Misty complained. "I could be meeting cute guys, instead of being stuck here. No offense Brock, but you two don't exactly fit the criteria for being 'hot'." She was lying, but then again, she was good at it.

" 'No offense, _Brock_?' " Ash asked. "What about me?"

"Well, I wanted to offend you." She gave him the same smug grin he had given her earlier. Ash narrowed his eyes.

"Well, you're not exactly a shining example of your gender either." Ash replied. He was also becoming quite adept at lying. "If you really want to get a tan, there's a nice bright sun out there. It might do you some good; I don't think many 'cute guys' are going to go for you with your pasty white complexion."

"Oh, that's it." Misty said and she slugged Ash on the arm again. Ash was expecting it that time, and showed no sign of pain. She punched him twice more and Ash's resolve started to falter. Thankfully, Brock stepped in by reaching behind him and grabbing the redhead's arm.

"Okay, enough with the domestic abuse already Misty." He said, his eyes still on the article. "I don't want to have to put you guys in a time-out." Ash and Misty gave each other one last death stare, and then went back to the paper. Misty was the first to break the awkward silence.

"It looks like they merged his picture with a Charmander." She said. "They even included a tail there."

"Actually, it's a Charmeleon." Ash said, pointing to the photo. "See the bump on the back of head? It resembles the…uh…the…" His voice faded away as Misty glared at him. She did not like being corrected. He coughed to clear his throat.

"Regardless of what he is, he sure is ugly." Misty said. "I can't imagine ever being able to stand being around someone who looks like that." She stuck her tongue out in disapproval. "What a freak."

"Gee, how compassionate." Ash said. "You truly are a humanitarian, Mist." She went red and glared at him.

"Whatever!" She pouted. "It doesn't matter, cause he, I mean IT, doesn't even exist. You said it yourself." She walked off in a huff and plopped down on her chair, her arms crossed. Ash winced as if he had received another one of Misty's punches. She really took that one personally. Ash hated it when he said the wrong thing. There were always touchy areas that they tried to stay away from when they fought, but once in a while, one of them managed to hit a nerve. Admittedly, he did it more often then she did. They always forgave each other soon enough, but there was awkwardness for a while after.

Brock glared up at Ash, ready to admonish him, but thought better of it. Something about Ash's face made it clear he already felt bad. Instead, he buried his face back into the newspaper. Ash scratched the back of his head, trying to come up with the right words to say.

"Look Misty, all I meant was…" He trailed off when she turned away from him rigidly. Ash hung his head. No amount of fast-talking was going to get him out of this one. "Sorry." He said eventually, his voice barely above a whisper. Misty didn't move for a moment, then sighed and slouched down. Ash let out a deep breath. She still wasn't looking at him, but he knew that body language. It meant she wasn't going to hold a grudge.

"I think I'm going to take a nap." She said eventually. "We're not going anywhere until tomorrow anyway." The finiteness to her words left no room for argument. Ash wasn't going to fight her on this anyway. She got up and walked toward the hostel room they had rented for the evening, closing the door behind her. Ash watched the door for a few minutes, then sat back down on his couch and ran a hand through his black hair.

"Smooth." Brock said eventually.

"Yeah, I know." Ash grumbled. He picked up his hat and started to fan himself with the brim. It felt like it was getting even hotter.

* * *

Several miles away in an abandoned hospital, three scientists were busily scurrying around a small laboratory. They were carrying tubes of blood and bone marrow from station to station, performing tests and muttering to themselves. The dim light was not ideal conditions for work, but they weren't given much else for illumination and they couldn't give up the time it would take to find more light sources.

When the sliding door opened, the men nearly dropped the tubes they were holding on to. There was something about the boss's appearance that made the hairs on their neck stand on end. The tall man walked into the room from the shadowy hallway, smoke rising from the cigar he was smoking.

"Progress report." He said simply. His voice was rough and commanding. The men looked at each other nervously.

"W-well, sir…" One of them stammered, staring at the linoleum floor. "You see, we did what we could with the limited time you gave us…and…"

"Is it finished?" The boss interrupted the scientist.

The man sighed and held up a vial. "Yes. But it is only a prototype. We haven't had a chance to properly test it."

"That's not your job. Your job was to develop it. I'll handle the testing." The boss walked over and pulled the tube from the man's hands. "In fact, now that I know the serum is complete, I can send out for the test subject right now."

"I can't believe someone would volunteer for this kind of thing." Another scientist muttered out loud. The malicious grin that spread across the boss's face made him wish he never spoke up.

"Who ever said anything about it being voluntary?"

* * *

Ash stared at the white ceiling long into the night. He couldn't sleep at all. Too many thoughts were rotating through his mind. Not the least of which was the girl sleeping on the bunk beneath him. Misty hadn't so much as spoke to him since earlier that day and Ash hated getting the silent treatment. It wouldn't be so bad if she wasn't just a few feet below him. He almost wished he could switch with Brock, who claimed the separate bed on the other side of the room. But both he and Misty were out cold. He was just going to suck it up and deal.

It felt weird not having Pikachu by his side. He had left his friend behind at home to help his mom was certain chores, since it was Professor Oak's wish that Ash complete this league with just the six training Pokemon he lent him. Ash was never one to back down form a challenge, but was beginning to wish the he could have argued to being along his yellow companion for company. He had Misty and Brock, of course, but at times like this, neither one would suffice. Brock would tell him his guilty conscious was his own fault and Misty…well, she _was_ the problem.

Ash rolled over and began to contemplate his strategy for the next gym in order to get his mind off things. _Let's see…Nurse Joy had said that Gym Leader Trevor liked using fire Pokemon, especially Magmar, so it would be a good time to give Poliwhirl a chance to shine. Geodude might even get a chance to evolve into…_

There was an audible crash and Ash sat up straight. He looked over to the doorway. It had come from the lobby. He quickly, yet quietly, crawled out of bed and climbed down the ladder to the ground. Misty and Brock were still sound asleep. Ash would just have to check this out himself. He pulled his pants and t-shirt on and tiptoed to door. Slowly creaking it open, he slipped out into the main lobby, closing the door behind him.

Ash looked over to the counter and saw Nurse Joy was sitting in her chair, head slumped over onto the desk. Her arms hung limply at her side and her back was rising and falling slowly. Ash grinned. Joy had just fallen asleep. The bang must have been from her head hitting the counter. She was probably dead tired.

Ash's smile slowly disappeared as he noticed that something was sticking out of the back of her neck. Sensing something was wrong, Ash silently made his way to the side of Joy's desk. As he got closer to her, he realized the object that was embedded in her neck was a dart. Ash carefully pulled the sharp instrument out of her neck. He stared at it in awe and confusion.

_Now what the hell is this about? _Ash thought to himself. He twirled it in his fingers a few times, and then sniffed the tip of the needle. Just as he thought: sleeping powder. Probably from a Butterfree, but it could be Vileplume as well. As he began to piece together what was going on, Ash slowly slunk down and pressed his back against the desk. Something bad was going down. He looked back to the door he came from. He needed to wake Brock and Misty. Then they could-

His thoughts came to a screeching halt when he heard a door open on the other side of the desk. Sweat began to bead down his forehead as he struggled to be as quiet as possible. He heard three sets of footsteps and voices whispering. He slowly inched over toward the edge of the desk so he could eavesdrop.

"…not in this room either." Said a man's voice.

"That only leaves two more guest rooms." A female's voice spoke up. "Let's get to work and finish this mission before someone gets suspicious."

Ash mustered up some courage and peered out from around his wooden hiding spot. He only caught a glimpse of the three intruders, but that was all he needed. Black suits, black caps, and a big red "R" on their chests. Ash's face contorted into a scowl. _Team Rocket. Wonderful._ Ash reached to his belt. The footsteps were moving again. The next room in their path was his, and he was not going to let these two-bit crooks get the jump on his sleeping companions. Gingerly and swiftly, Ash removed a small Pokeball from his belt and let it enlarge in his hands.

"Surprise, assholes!" Ash yelled, rolling out from his position right in front of them. The members each let out a stifled cry of shock. Ash held the Pokeball out and a red beam shot from the front onto the ground in front of him. The red light took the form of a round bug with antennae and then turned into a real creature. The purple ball of fur stared at the Team Rocket members with its large red bug eyes. "Venonat! Supersonic!" Ash commanded, putting his hands to his ears. The Pokemon nodded, then opened it's small mouth wide enough to emit a piercing screech into the air. The Rockets put their fingers in their ears and groaned in pain. Ash smiled victoriously, but it didn't stay long. The nearest member drew his foot back and kicked Venonat away, sending the light bug half way across the lobby. It's screech ended, turning into a high-pitched wail of pain. Ash suddenly wished he had his own Pokemon with him. His current roster just wasn't battle-hardened enough. Ash got to his feet and ran over to his fallen partner. Venonat pushed itself onto its feet, but swayed dizzily.

Ash looked back at the Rockets, and saw them reach for their belts. Ash waited for the Pokeballs to come out, but was instead shocked to see them pull guns from the holsters at their sides. They lifted the weapons up and aimed them at the boy. Ash's eyes went wide.

"Shit!" Ash exclaimed, picked up the wobbling Venonat and dove behind the nearest couch. There were muffled gunshots, followed by a hail of darts crashing into the back wall. Ash took a few deep breaths. _Guns! Freaking guns! This wasn't right…none of this smelled right at all._ "Venonat, I need you to stun spore those guys over there." Ash said. The bug chirped in reply, so Ash lifted him up above the couch top. There was another round of shots and Ash quickly brought Venonat back down. The poor bug had three darts lodged in it's body.

"Venonat!" Ash shook it several times. "Are you all right?" The bug snored in response. Ash cursed and returned him to his Pokeball. He grabbed another from his belt. He got an idea and chucked the sphere into the air. The Rockets fired more darts at the flying object, but the projectiles just bounced off. When the Pokeball hit the ground, a red beam shot out and formed into the waiting Bulbasaur.

"Bulbasaur!" Ash yelled frantically from behind the sofa. "Leech Seed! Vine Whip! Acid! _ANYTHING_!"

"Bulba!" The reptile cried and let loose a blast of spores into the air from the bulb on it's back.

"Don't breath it in!" The female Rocket hissed. "It's leech seed!" She quickly loaded another dart into her gun.

"Move Bulbasaur!" Ash yelled. The spry Pokemon realized what was happening and began to run around frantically.

"Hold still, damn you!" The female said under her breath. She took aim and fired, but the dart hit the rug next to the darting creature.

"Good job! Now try to vine whip!" Ash called. Bulbasaur obediently and slung it's vines out and wrapped around the female Rocket's arms. With a sharp tug, the Pokemon chucked the woman into the Pokecenter's front door with a loud smack. She fell to the ground in pain. "All right! Now the other two! Go for the guns!"

But it was too late. The other two got time to refill their guns and with the ineffective leech seed cloud gone, and they fired at the Pokemon. Bulbasaur started to run, but one dart caught him in his hind leg and another in the base of his bulb. The reptile screamed in pain, then slumped to the ground, unconscious. There was a beam of light and the Pokemon returned to its dormant Pokeball. Ash quickly reached back down to his belt. _Now what? Wait…Geodude! The darts would easily bounce off his rock body! _Ash went for the furthest ball when he heard a heart-wrenching sound: the door to his room opening.

"What the HELL is going on out here?" Misty grumbled, rubbing her eyes. She was standing in the doorway in her white nightgown. "I swear to God, Ash, if you're practicing your battle techniques at this ungodly hour, I will…" Her voice trailed off as she opened her eyes and saw the two male Team Rocket members standing there, holding their guns. She let out a loud scream of terror as the two members lifted their guns and aimed at her.

"No!" Ash yelled jumping up from behind the couch. He vaulted over the furniture and charged the remaining Rocket members. They swiveled around in time to see Ash crash into the nearest member, sending him tumbling to the ground. Ash went with him, landing on top of his opponent roughly. Ash reached for the man's weapon when he felt a bee-sting at the top of his spine. He reached behind his neck and felt the small dart lodged there. The grogginess began to take effect, and he couldn't even react when the man he was on top of brought his gun hilt around and smashed it into the side of Ash's face. There was pain, but it felt distant. Ash fell off the man and landed on the ground, blood oozing down over his left eye. There was a gunshot and a second dart tip entered Ash's chest. He was vaguely aware of Misty screaming his name. He tilted his head to the side slightly to watch Misty rush out toward him, then double back into the room as the two men chased after her while reloading their guns. Two more shots, faint and barely audible. Things were going black and Ash struggled to stay awake. He reached out toward the door as best he could before he was rolled onto his back. He saw the female rocket standing above him, wearing an expression of anger. She lifted her foot and brought it down on the boy's face. The pain was too far away to notice, but the last thing he remembered was the sickening crunch.

* * *

Jarring pain slowly brought Ash back to consciousness. He groaned out loud as he tried to move. His body felt like it was on fire and his head was throbbing. He was still feeling groggy from the sleeping powder and everything was blurry. Slowly, the boy reached around for the dart and yanked it out of his neck. He tossed it to the ground roughly and checked his torso. The dart that had hit his chest was already gone.

His eyes finally started to focus on his surroundings and he could tell he was in a jail cell. The walls and ground were a drab gray concrete. He managed to sit up and take a look around. He immediately regretted it as the movements of his head sent searing pain through his body. All the pain from earlier was hitting him now and it was worse than anything he could ever remember feeling. He reached up to his head and felt stitches across the area where he was hit by the gun. _I'm stitched up…_ He mused. _At least I have hospitable captors. _He brought his hand lightly down to his nose. There was a brace across the bridge and it hurt to touch. He realized the boot to the face must have broken it and the brace was helping to fix it. He winced as he finished examining his wounds. _Note to self…diving headfirst into a group of armed enemies is not a proper battle technique._

His mind snapped into place when he recalled why he implemented such a flawed tactic. _Misty! Brock!_ Ash turned around quickly, ignoring the pain, as he looked for his friends. He breathed a sigh of relief as he saw Misty lying on the ground and Brock leaning against a wall corner. Both were still unconscious. Ash slowly moved over to Misty's dormant body. There was a dart lodged in her neck in a similar manner to that of Nurse Joy. Her face was screwed up in a look of pain and Ash immediately felt sorry for her.

He sat down next to her and slowly lifted her head and laid it down in his lap. With careful precision, he removed the dart from her neck. She moaned in pain as the needle left her skin. Ash quickly began to stroke her hair, trying to calm her down. Her whimpering became quieter and quieter until it was gone completely. Ash was pleased to see the hint of a smile forming on her lips.

He looked back over at Brock. He didn't see any visible darts, but the man was certainly out cold. He didn't seem to be in pain though, which was good news. He concentrated on running his fingers through Misty's hair to keep her calm. The back of his mind was running furiously, trying to devise where they were and how they were going to get out of here. Ash's left hand brushed by his belt, but realized his Pokeballs were gone.

"Dammit." He grumbled. He looked past the bars of their cell, but it was just empty hallway in two directions. Nothing but cement walls either way. There was no indication of where they could be. His gaze shifted to the bars themselves. They were slightly rusted in some areas. _Maybe if Brock and I worked together we could break through the rusted areas. _Ash looked back at his companion and wondered if he should wake him up.

"…Ash…" He heard a little groan from his lap. Ash looked down to see Misty squirming around. Her eyes were still closed, but she looked scared. "No…Ash…please leave him alone…" She mumbled, grasping at thin air.

"Hey, hey." Ash gently shook her shoulders. "Wake up, Mist. You're having a nightmare. It's me. Ash."

Misty's eyes flickered open as Ash's shakes brought her out of her deep sleep. "A-Ash?" She asked. "What…what's going on? Where…" She groaned as throbbing pain hit her head. Ash immediately went back to stroking her hair and Misty was surprised how much it helped calm her down. She laid her head back down and realized she was lying in Ash's lap. Her face went crimson, but she hid it by turning to face his body. As if just remembering something, she slowly reached up to her neck.

"I already took care of it." Ash said simply. He caught her blush, but decided not to think much of it. "I don't know where we are, just that we're in a jail cell of some sort. Brock is sleeping in the corner."

"Is Team Rocket really behind this?" She asked after a few seconds.

"I don't know. It sure seems that way, but they fought with guns, not Pokemon. A very non-Rocket maneuver, if you ask me. But frankly, I'm less interested in who they are than what they want."

"…Ash?"

"Yeah?"

"Will you…will you tell me everything's going to be all right?"

"Yeah. Things…everything's going to be all right." Ash said, still running his hand across her head. He only wished he could believe it for himself. He sighed and closed his eyes. "Well, as long as they stick together, we can handle anything that comes our way."

"Ironic, then, that we've come to break you up." Came a snearing voice from outside the cell. Ash looked up immediately and Misty rolled around. A man and a woman were standing outside of the cell door. They were two of three members from the attack on the Pokecenter.

"You two!" Ash growled.

"How's the nose?" The girl asked with a smirk.

"Peachy. How's the headache?" Ash retorted. His eyes scanned the duo. "Where's your friend?"

"In intensive care." The man said angrily. "With a broken arm and three shattered ribs."

"He deserved it." Brock said from behind them. Ash craned his neck around to see the man sitting in the corner, glaring back at the two Rockets. He wondered how long he had been awake. "I only regret not being able to share the experience with you."

"Well, don't get any ideas." The woman said. "We're only here for the kid." She pulled out a set of keys and unlocked the cell door. "Don't be idiots. Make this easy on yourself."

"Ash?" Misty asked weakly as Ash slowly set her head on the ground and stood up. He still felt awful and the sudden rise in elevation caused him to become light-headed.

"Fine. You want me? You'll have to fight me."

"I tried to warn you." The woman sighed. She pulled a small red rod from her belt and held it out. The man did likewise and they opened the door and marched inside. Ash immediately ran at the woman, taking a swing with his fist. The drugs were still coursing through his veins and his punch was far off. The woman pressed the red rod to Ash's side.

Volts of electricity shot through Ash's body, setting his nerves on fire. Ash screamed and fell down from sheer shock. He quickly grasped his side and groaned. Misty shouted his name and began to crawl closer to him. "Well, what do you think? Stings like a Voltorb, huh?" The woman grinned. "It's just one of the new advances Team Rocket is making. I'm sure you'd love to see it in action more, huh?" She kicked Ash's stomach and he coughed up some blood onto the gray floor. "Give up? Or do you still want to play the her-ow!" The female rocket yelled out and Misty dug her nails into the woman's leg.

"Leave him alone!" She screamed and began to scratch the Rocket's leg as much as possible. The woman howled out and struck down with the rod, hitting Misty's forehead roughly. The blow was enough to send the girl to the ground, but the accompanying shock left a burn mark as well as a bruise.

"Stupid bitch!" The Rocket seethed. She lifted the rod again, but Brock collided with her from the side. He grabbed her hand and squeezed hard until she dropped the rod. He used his other hand to grab her by the neck and slam her against the bars.

"You made a big mistake." He hissed. The man came at Brock from behind, but Brock let go of the woman's wrist and drove his elbow back into the man's gut roughly. He grabbed a fistful of the man's suit and swung him around into the bars as well. He moved his hand up to the man's throat and held both Rockets there, gasping for air. "I think I owe you each a broken arm and few shattered ribs."

Suddenly, Brock let them both go and grabbed the sides of his head. He screamed and dropped to the ground, clutching his head as if it would explode. The two Rockets looked at each other, then turned around. Walking up to the jail cell was a tall man in a long-sleeved black dress suit that stood out against his pale skin. He had slicked back black hair and a simple smile that had no happiness. Both hands were held behind his back and his stride was both practiced and militaristic.

"Captain Avarice!" The two Rocket's saluted sharply.

"At ease." The man said simply. "I came down here because I assumed these three might give you trouble." He smiled at the three figures currently on the ground. "Although it would seem they will give us no more problems tonight."

Ash crawled over to Misty and pushed some hair away from her bruise. She whimpered softly, still trying to recover from the shock the rod had produced. His eyes darted over to Brock, who had stopped yelling, but was still clutching his head. Ash glowered and pushed himself to his feet. The Rockets turned back around and immediately picked their red rods off the ground. Avarice raised one eyebrow.

"Still standing? Very impressive. Although I'm sure I can change that soon enough." He held one of his hands out. He was wearing black gloves. He snapped his fingers and a Hypno walked out from behind him. "Shall we have a repeat of your friend's affliction?"

"If you think you have what it takes to stop me." Ash said. "But I guarantee I'll take all three of you down before I fall."

"Really? How interesting. You think you're so strong, don't you Mr. Ketchum? Well, unfortunately for you, I know your weak points." He snapped his fingers again. This time Misty let out a loud scream. She held her head like Brock had done, tears streaming from her eyes. Ash immediately bent down next to her. He tried to comfort her, but she just kept yelling.

"Stop it!" Ash yelled at Avarice. "Stop it right now, you son of a bitch!"

"Now, now. I hardly think language like that is necessary."

"I'll fucking tear you apart!" Ash screamed and charged at the man. The two Rockets intercepted him and started hitting him with their red sticks. Ash just kept fighting them, trying to get to Avarice. The man just gave Ash his simple smile. Ash's eyes went wild. He wanted to wipe that smug grin right off his face. The repeated rod hits eventually dropped Ash to his knees, but he kept hitting the Rockets until he lost all his energy.

"Please…" he said after a moment. "Just stop…I'll go along with you. Just leave my friends alone."

"See? Was that so hard?" Avarice asked. He snapped his fingers again and Misty immediately stopped screaming. Brock let go of his head as well, as if he was never in any pain at all. Ash slumped down, finally letting the weight of everything hit him. The two Rockets grabbed his arms and lifted him up. Ash was too drained to fight back.

"Wait! No, you can't do this!" Misty yelled, pulling herself up onto her knees. "Ash!"

"Stay down." The female Rocket growled. "We're taking him with us."

"Like hell you are." Brock started to get up when Ash stopped him.

"No, Brock." Ash said. "Just stay down."

"What? But, Ash-"

"They only want me." Ash said. "They won't hurt you if I go peacefully."

"You actually expect them to keep that promise?" Brock seethed. "They'll come for us later."

"And I want you there to protect Misty." Ash stated. Brock shut his mouth, then nodded. Ash nodded back and then let the two Rockets drag him from the cell.

"Ash! No! Don't leave!" Misty shouted after him.

"I'll be okay." Ash said. "We'll be together again soon, I promise." The female Rocket rolled her eyes as she locked the door behind them. Avarice just smirked and led the two Rockets and Ash down the hall. Brock crawled over to Misty and put his arm around her shoulders. The girl immediately threw her arms around him and buried her face in his chest.

"Don't worry." Brock said. "Ash will be okay. He's been though worse than this. Besides, I managed to send Zubat out for help before they knocked me out. It shouldn't be too long before Officer Jenny finds us. We'll get through this." Misty nodded her head slowly, but didn't say a word.

* * *

After what seemed like an endless number of hallways, Ash finally found himself in a small operating room. He had deduced that he was in a hospital of sorts as he was being led around the complex, but this was the first room he had entered. It made his jail cell look cozy. There were various instruments scattered through the room. There were two steel tables in the center of the room, each with a light hanging over it. Several doctors were already waiting in the room.

"All right." Avarice said. "Get him on the table."

"What are you sick bastards planning, anyway?" Ash asked, but his question fell on deaf ears. He contemplated trying to make a break for it, but with Avarice standing right there he knew he wouldn't get far, especially given his current state. He let the two Rockets remove his shirt, lift him up and strap him to the table. The leather bonds were tight against his skin. He struggled against them for a second before realizing how hopeless it was. "Look, guys. I appreciate the thought, but it isn't time for my annual check-up yet."

"Ah, there's that humor I was expecting." Came a voice from the dark corner. There was a flicker of light from a flame, then just a cloud of cigar smoke. The man stepped out into the light.

"Giovanni!" Ash hissed. He hadn't expected the Team Rocket boss to be here.

"Ah, I'm glad to see you aren't so drugged up you don't recognize me." He smiled darkly. "I trust you're finding the accommodations pleasant?"

"Quite comfy, really. Although my pillow could use fluffing."

"Of course. Well, enjoy your flippant tongue while you still have it, boy. You are dismissed Captain."

"Yes sir." Avarice saluted then closed the door behind him. The light was dimmed to just the one hanging above his head. Ash strained to keep his vision.

"All right. I'll bite. What the hell is going on?" He asked eventually.

"We're just going to run a few tests on you, that's all."

"Tests?" Ash asked, failing to keep his voice steady. Giovanni walked into the light holding a long syringe filled with odd black liquid. Two doctors followed him, each wielding a large scalpel-style blade. Ash's eyes went wide and he started to struggle against the ropes. Giovanni smiled at him with a look that a lion might give an antelope.

"Try not to struggle, Ketchum. You'll need to conserve all the energy you can. Because this is going to be very, very painful."

* * *

Ash's screams echoed through the air, carrying throughout the building. Misty sat straight up, her eyes wide with fear. She looked around frequently, trying to find out where the sounds were coming from.

"Brock…Brock, it's Ash." Misty said, her words barely a whisper. "Oh God! They're killing him!" She got up and ran over to the door. She grabbed onto the bars and started to shake them violently. "STOP IT YOU BASTARDS!" She screamed into the hallway.

"Misty." Brock said softly. He walked up to her and put his hands on hers.

"Ash! Oh God no! No! Ash!" She continued to yell. Ash's tortured screams continued, unabated by Misty's protests. She started to cry again, new tears running down her cheeks. She turned around and buried her face in Brock's shirt again. "I can't take this Brock! I can't listen to this!"

"Shh." Brock sat her down. "Come on. Try and get your mind elsewhere." He was having a hard enough time hearing his lifelong friend's pain, but he had to stay strong for Misty. He had promised Ash as much. Misty began to hum an old tune that Ash had used to sing while they traveled. It did little to help her nerves and the screams continued to haunt her endlessly. She covered her ears, but even then all she could hear was the pained sounds in the air.

The screaming continued for several hours, then, as soon as it had started, it stopped. Misty perked her head up as the yells died out. She waited endlessly for any further sounds but she received none. The screams were gone and there was nothing but silence now. Misty didn't know which was worse.

To Be Continued…


	2. Deception

**Intro:**And here is Part Two.It's not as long as the first Strand,but it is still chock full ofstory. As a warning, I really earn that M rating with some disturbingly gory scenes near the end of the story, so read at your own risk. As always, I do not own Pokemon or it's characters.

**Hybrids: First Iteration  
**

**Strand 2: Deception  
**

There was a sound of knocking coming from the other side of the metal door. Giovanni slowly set down the pen he was holding and looked up from behind his desk. "Come in." He said simply, devoid of emotion. The doorknob turned and the door swung open. A young woman in a black jumpsuit stood in the door. Her long maroon hair juxtaposed against the darkness of her clothing.

"You wanted to see me sir?" The woman asked meekly.

"Ah Jessie. Yes, yes. Do come in." Giovanni waved her in. Jessie stepped into her boss's makeshift office and closed the door behind her. She started to fidget with her hands as she waited for Giovanni to address her. Being in the boss's presence always intimidated her. "Jessie, you've been with us for a long time, haven't you?"

"Yes sir." She said. "Eleven years as of last month."

"Well, I've been thinking it's time for a promotion." Giovanni said nonchalantly. Jessie sucked in a huge breath of air.

"A promotion, sir?" She asked, unsure if she heard him right.

"I think you'd make a fine captain." Giovanni stated. "You have proven to be a very competent member of our organization in recent years. Much more so than your partner." He picked a cigar out of a silver tin and put it in his mouth. He struck up a match and lit the end.

"James?" Jessie asked, feeling that she needed to add something.

"Yes…I have come to understand that many of your earlier failures are a direct result of him. In fact, I believe he is holding you back from your true potential." Giovanni offered Jessie a cigar as an afterthought, but she declined. "So I want to give you a chance to show your natural abilities in a higher position."

"I-I don't know what to say." Jessie stammered. She had dreamed of moving up the ranks in the organization since she joined, but she had given up hope a long time ago. This was a dream come true, but she had worked with James for so long, she couldn't imagine moving up without him. "Thank you sir!"

"You earned it." He said, with just a hint of a smile. "Now, I have a new assignment for you, Captain Jessica."

"Of course, sir! Whatever you wish!" She saluted. Giovanni picked up a piece of paper off his desk and held it out.

"I assume you've heard about the genetics project we've been working on." Giovanni said. Jessie nodded. "Well, we've made some new progress and we're picking up new subjects. As captain, I want you to bring in our latest…volunteer." Jessie gave her boss a sidelong glance, then took the paper from him. She read the first few lines, then looked back up at him. Her face shared a look of shock and look of pain.

"Is this some kind of joke, sir?" She asked.

"I assure you, it isn't."

"But…you can't possibly…I mean…"

"You know him better than anyone, Captain Jessica. He should be easy for you to bring in."

"I can't just turn on my partner like this!" She cried out, exasperated.

"Ah, but he isn't your partner anymore, is he?" Giovanni's malicious smile looked especially menacing. "You've been promoted."

"But…but…" Jessie sputtered out for a few moments. "Sir, please, you can't ask me to do this."

"Being a captain isn't all glamorous. You should know that. Consider this a test of your loyalty."

"Then I'm sorry, but I can't accept this mission. If it means turning down the promotion as well, then so be it, but I…"

"Captain Jessica," Giovanni interrupted, "you seem to have gotten the wrong impression here. You seem to think you have a choice in this matter." Giovanni's expression darkened. "You will bring James in for this operation, or I will be forced to take drastic measures." His smile returned, but it made him look even more dangerous. "Although, I suppose I could use an alternative person for the project. I wonder how the serum would react to a sixty year old man."

It took Jessie a second to catch onto what he was saying, but once she did, she burst out. "What? No! You can't do that! You promised me he'd be safe!"

"Yes, safe under my protection as long as you stayed loyal to Team Rocket. It would seem you are on the edge of turning traitorous, though."

"You…" Jessie started, but only sighed and hung her head. She knew she was fighting a losing battle.

"It's your choice. I will have a test subject, either your ex-partner or your father. I don't care which." Giovanni took a long drag on his cigar before exhaling a ring of smoke. "Now will you accept the assignment or not?"

"…Yes, sir." Jessie said softly, her voice oozing with defeat.

"Good. See to it you get him here in one hour. You are dismissed, Captain Jessica." Giovanni stated finitely. Jessie stood up quietly and marched out of the room, closing the door behind her. Her mind was practically on fire, unable to keep up with the turn of events that just took place. The decision in front her weighed on her conscience like a ton of bricks. She knew what she had to do, but she was having trouble bringing herself to do it. Slowly, using all of her willpower, Jessie began her long walk to the staircase.

Since moving headquarters into the abandoned Violet Isle Medical Center about half a year ago, Team Rocket had managed to almost miraculously turn this place into a fully operational base of operations. Several medical exam rooms had been converted to labs so the genetics project could be continued without disruption. The various rooms had become almost like dormitories to the Rocket members who lived on site, including her and James. Having been removed from field duty a few years ago, the duo had managed to perform menial jobs in hope of regaining favor in the boss's eye. Jessie was now wishing she hadn't tried so hard.

Her footsteps echoed in the empty stairway as she grudgingly made her way up to the fifth floor. She had always wanted to become a Rocket Captain, in hopes that it would bring her a bigger paycheck and she could take care of her father. Jessie's glower darkened. Giovanni had promised to look after her father while she was out on missions to capture Pokemon. _As long as you belong to Team Rocket I'll take care of him_ he had said. Then it had sounded like a friendly gesture, but she could say now that it was his manipulative way of keeping control of her. And she had played right into his hands.

She stopped walking automatically. With her brain so wrapped up in her thoughts, Jessie had just let her memory guide her movements and she was now standing in front of the door to her partner's small room. Her room was right across the hall; even though they stayed in the same room before out on missions, it didn't feel right to share a room permanently. It took every bit of her not to run into her room right then and have a nervous breakdown.

She raised her hand to knock on the door, and then stopped. Could she really do this? Could she just betray her oldest and closest friend without a second thought? James had always been there for her. He was a blistering idiot and a constant annoyance, but he was a good friend. A good friend that she was about to condemn to a fate that she he couldn't even comprehend.

But her father was getting old. Any kind of experiment they tried on him would likely kill him. For all his faults, James was resilient. He had taken enough hits on their journeys together to build up a tolerance to pain. He would survive whatever operation they would try on him. He would understand, wouldn't he? That she had no choice? He might even eventually forgive her.

Almost out of her control, her knuckles rapped against the metal door. There was the sound of shuffling sheets and groans. "One minute, one minute." Came a distinctive mumble. There were several footsteps, and then the door creaked open. James poked his head out. His blue hair was disheveled and the look in his eyes said she had woken him up. "Jessie? What are you doing here? You know I don't like to get up before seven."

"Umm…I have news…from Giovanni." She said, stumbling over her own words. All the resolve she had built up start to fade when she saw his face. _This is going to be harder than I thought._ She tried her best to keep her voice steady, even if her words weren't. Thankfully, James was rather dense on picking up on clues like this.

"Giovanni? Really?" James perked up, excited for any chance to please the boss. The irony of the situation was at least apparent to her. "Come on in!" He said, ducking back into the room. Despite her mind screaming at her not to, Jessie ducked into her friend's room. He had clothes scattered all over the floor and his bed sheets were half on the ground. Magazines and action figures were cluttered up in the corner. There was a Koffing-shaped pillow at the head of his bed. It very much seemed like to kind of room and teenage kid might have.

Jessie blushed and looked away. James was only wearing his boxers and he was scouring the floor for his black jumpsuit. Seeing him in his underwear wasn't anything new to Jessie, as they were never prudes around each other, and she usually liked to sneak peeks at him during his states of undress. But today, she was too embarrassed to even think about any repressed feelings she might have for him. She certainly didn't deserve to think about him that way.

"Damn it. I had it over here yesterday." James muttered, throwing clothes in different directions. "What do you suppose the boss wants?"

"I'm not sure." Jessie lied. The words burned the tip of her tongue.

"Hey! Maybe he's going to reinstate us with field duty!" James smiled.

"I doubt it, James." Jessie said softly. "I just got promoted."

"Promoted?" James asked, stopping everything he was doing.

"To captain."

"That's awesome!" James smiled widely and in just a few steps was next to her and giving her a big hug. "You've been waiting for this forever, am I right?"

"Yeah…you're right."

"Well, that's great! I'm happy for you, Jess." James flashed his wide idiotic grin. If Jessie could feel any more like scum, she didn't know how. Each word felt like an arrow to her heart. She looked at the ground, unable to meet his eyes. She pretended to help look for his suit. "Do you think I'm going to get a promotion too?"

"I don't know James. He just wants you to come in for a physical."

"OOO. I like the sound of that." He said. More arrows. "Sounds like I'm in training for something."

"I'm…I'm sure it's something like that."

"Well, as long as we get to stick together, I don't mind being your subordinate." He grinned. He seemed to get a funny idea and he stood straight up. _Oh God. Don't do that James. Please don't do it_. Despite her mental pleadings, the man gave her a salute. "I am at your service, my captain. I will follow you to the end of the earth."

That did it. She felt the emotions she was trying so hard to hold back start to break free. She momentarily contemplated telling him everything. She wanted to just grab his hand and ask him to run away with her. Far from Team Rocket and Giovanni. Far from the fate she was about to lead him to. He would follow her, and she would lead him only to pain.

"Err…Jessie?" James asked. He cocked his head slightly, staring at her eyes. "Are you okay? I was just playing around." She realized with horror that she had let tears well up at her eyes. She immediately wiped them away. _Get a hold of yourself, girl! You need to be strong!_

"I'm okay." Jessie lied. "I've just been thinking a lot about my father."

"Oh." James said simply. He seemed to teeter a bit, unsure of what to do, before he reached out to touch her shoulder. Jessie backed off sharply. James had a way of getting through her defenses and she was intent on making sure he didn't have another chance. Touching was definitely out. Luck intervened and she got a convenient reason for her sudden retreat.

"Look…there's your jumpsuit." She said, pointing to the corner of the room.

"Huh! I thought I looked there." James said and immediately walked over to the piece of clothing. Jessie exhaled sharply. That was too close. She refrained from watching him dress and waited until he was walking back over to her before speaking.

"You should…you should get going." Jessie said. "Giovanni wants to see you right away."

"Right!" James said. "Err…you're not coming along?"

Jessie wanted desperately to come along. She wanted to spend every last minute she could with him before he hated her forever. But she couldn't go along. Not if she was this close to cracking right now.

"No…I have some other duties I need to attend to. C-Captain things."

"Oh. Okay. Well, I'll see you after my physical then." James smiled. Jessie tried her hardest to smile back. James then departed for the door and was gone. Jessie slowly sat down on the bed in the center of the room. Her heart was beating rapidly and every pulse hurt. She stared at the door long after he left, trying to gain control of the wave of feelings that were rising up in her. Slowly, she took James' Koffing pillow and held it close to her. Then she began to quietly cry into it.

* * *

James walked down the hallway, counting room numbers in succession. The note the boss had left on his door told him to meet up in room B38. He had taken the stairs down to the basement in a hurry, not wanting to be late. The cement walls were drab and uniform and James found himself getting lost easily. 

He finally came upon the correct door and knocked on it lightly. "Hey, boss? It's James. I'm here for the physical." The door swung open before he even finished the sentence. The room was completely dark, barring the single light above a steel table. James didn't give it a second thought; the boss loved dark rooms. Cheerfully, the man walked into the room. Several men in lab coats led James over to the nearby table and helped him get up on it. As per the doctors' instructions, James removed his shirt. He could see the faint red glow of a cigar end in the corner of the room. He slowly laid back on the cold slab.

"Jeez. Do you think you could make this thing any colder?" James asked with a goofy smile. He looked over to his right and could see another a few feet away into the darkness. James' brow furrowed and he squinted. He could almost make out the shape of a body. "Hey Boss. Is there someone else in here with us?" Before any of the doctors could stop him, James reached up and angled the light slightly. His eyes widened and he immediately let go of the lamp. There was a male body there, albeit horribly carved up. Tubes and metal rods seemed to protrude from numerous gaping holes in the skin. There were numerous scars across the boy's chest that made it look like pounded veal. Despite the disfiguration, James could identify the body.

"Jesus! That's that brat with the Pikachu!" He said, trying to form coherent thoughts together. He never liked the kid, but no one deserved _that_. "What the hell happened, boss?"

His only response came in the form of a rough grasp on the throat. James felt Giovanni squeeze his neck and push his head down toward the slab. James went to claw at the man's hand, but much to his chagrin, the attendants had grabbed hold on his appendages. As quickly as possible, they strapped the struggling man down to the table. James' mind was beginning to fit together multiple pieces of the puzzle and a clear picture was forming.

"This is the genetics program, isn't it?" James asked angrily. "What are you planning to-"

"Shut up." Giovanni growled harshly. "Someone gag him." After a few seconds, one of the doctors produced a length of cloth and forced it into James's mouth and tied it around the back of his head. "Good, I don't want you to make too much noise." James screamed into the gag, but it was muffled severely. "Now, let's start. I suggest you bite down on that cloth, James."

* * *

Misty paced the jail cell impatiently. How many hours has it been so quiet? Ten? Twelve? She had lost track a while ago. Ash had been silent for so long and there was no news to ease her wracked mind. Their only visitor had been a lone grunt, delivering some food and water to them. Misty had demanded that he inform them of Ash's status and even tried to assault him through the bars, but he had stayed completely silent. 

She hadn't talked to Brock much, as he only spoke up to offer comfort to her. Neither of them had touched their meal; she was so worried about Ash, her stomach couldn't handle it, and she could only assume it was the same for Brock. He had spent most of his time sitting cross-legged in the corner of the cell, apparently trying to meditate. She tried to join him once or twice, but she was far too restless and couldn't stand sitting still. She didn't know how Brock could stay so calm, but she wished she could as well. Her rampant paranoia and overactive imagination were painting horrible scenarios in her mind and it was driving her crazy. She needed to know what had happened to her friend immediately.

As if granting her wish, she heard a loud thumping at the staircase that was down the hallway. Brock looked up from his sitting position and Misty ran to the jail door. With the sound of echoing footsteps, two police officers, one male and the other female, came running down the hallway, guns drawn.

"Hey! Over here!" Misty called out. The two officers ran up to the jail cell.

"Thank goodness we found you!" The female said. ""I'm Officer Bridget and this is Officer Cody. Officer Jenny is leading a raid on the hospital. Nurse Joy indicated you had gone missing and that's when this Zubat came to us and led us here." She looked from one to the other. "Umm…she said there would be three of you."

"Our friend is missing! Rockets took him about fifteen hours ago and we haven't seen him since!" Misty said hurriedly. "You need to help us find him!"

"Right!" Officer Bridget nodded. She signaled her partner, who raised his gun and fired at the padlock on the cell door. Two shots were enough to break it off and send it clattering to the ground. Misty excitedly pushed the door open and ran out, Brock hot on her heels. "Any idea where your friend might be?" Bridget asked.

"I think he's on this floor." Brock said. "We heard him screaming earlier, so he can't be too far off." Misty shuddered from the memory.

"Well, let's go!" Cody pointed his gun down the hall.

"Don't need to tell me twice!" Misty was already running down the hallway. All the pacing and worrying she had been doing had worn her out, but she wasn't about to let fatigue stop her now. Not by a long shot.

"There are several branching hallways on the left side." Cody explained as they ran. "He must be down one of these." Brock came to a screeching halt in front of one of the corridors.

"I think he's down here." He said slowly.

"Huh?" Bridget asked as the other three turned around and came back to meet with him. "Why?" The end of her word was cut off as it turned into a gasping sound. Misty echoed her and Cody grunted. Even in the darkened hallway, it was obvious that streaks of blood were smeared along the walls like paint.

"Oh dear God." Bridget said. "What happened here? Wait!" She yelled as Misty tore down the hallway. The smell was getting to her and making her light-headed, but she kept on running. She eventually slowed down and came to a stop as she noticed a room with the metal door torn off its hinges. Her hand covered her mouth as she saw the dead doctor slumped against the far wall. His chest had two deep wounds as if two swords had been shoved into his sternum. His head was cracked open and pink fluid was running down his face. Both of his wrists were sliced wide open.

Brock and the officers joined her seconds later and Officer Cody proceeded to throw up against the wall. Officer Bridget had gone as white as a ghost. "What's this? What could have done this to him?"

Misty mustered up her courage and peered into the room that was missing its door. Sparks were raining down from one of the overhead lights but there was enough illumination to see the room clearly. Several more doctors were lying on the ground, each looking similar to the one outside. One of the doctors was missing his head completely and the other had his gut torn open and his insides pulled out onto the floor. There were two steel tables in the center of the room. One was empty and bloodstained and had ripped off restraints lying on the ground. The other still contained one dormant body.

"ASH!" Misty screamed and bolted into the room, taking care not to step on any of the bodies. She ran to his side and immediately started to tear up. "Oh no…what did they do to you?" She asked weakly.

Brock arrived at her side an instant later. Even his normal composure was broken. The two officers followed afterward, albeit a little slower. Cody whistled. "That can't be good. Look, his skin has a green tint to it."

"We need to get him to a hospital!" Misty yelled a little louder than she meant to. Brock immediately began to remove the tubes and rods from his body. Ash didn't even so much as groan. Once all the intruding instruments were gone, Brock grabbed his arms and Cody took his legs. Together, they lifted him up and carried him from the bloody room. Misty placed her hand on Ash's chest and fought the urge to run her fingers along his cuts and scars. Her heart leapt when she felt his chest go up and down slowly. He was hurt, but still alive.

"Hold on Ash." She whispered softly.

* * *

The door slammed shut behind the female Rocket as she ducked into a small hallway. There were policemen crawling all over the building. How'd they know to get here so fast? Good thing the Boss got out of here so quickly, but how was she supposed to escape? She hadn't been in the headquarters long enough to know the boss' secret exits and she would have to figure them out herself. 

She started off down the hallway when she heard the door open behind her. She swiveled around and pulled her red stun rod from her holster. Her angry expression faded when she recognized the figure behind her. She slowly lowered her weapon. "Oh, you scared the hell out of me. You shouldn't sneak up on people like that." She put her weapon away. "Look, I'm getting out of here while the getting's good, you know? I suggest you do the same. We can meet up with the Boss later and…oh man. You look like shit." She looked the other person up and down. "What happened to you?"

Her eyes widened as the man raised his arm up. "W-what the hell? What _are_ you?" He took a step towards her. "No! Stay away! Please! Don't-" Her words were cut off as the figure drove two long claws into her stomach. Blood trickled down from the corner of her mouth and her wide eyes eventually narrowed. Her body went slack and she slipped off the long appendages and flopped onto the ground, slowly creating a pool of blood around her torso. The assailant wiped the blood off his claws with his pants and continued off down the long hallway.

To Be Continued…


	3. Gestation

**Intro: **Hey everyone. Sorry it's been so long since I last posted. I just quit my job, moved to another state and started a new job, so life has been hectic. I have the next installment in the series ready, though, so I hope you take a look at it. I still do not own Pokemon or it's characters.

**Hybrids: First Iteration**

**Strand 3: Gestation**

Blood was dripping down over his eyes. He could feel them tearing apart his chest and sticking needles and tubes into his body. His could hear himself screaming even though it felt physically impossible to continue yelling. He wanted to stop, if just to close his mouth so blood wouldn't run down his throat. He just wished the pain was strong enough to knock him unconscious, but it never reached that point. And all the time, he just watched that devilish grin and the end of that goddamn cigar.

Ash woke up in a cold sweat. It took him a second for his eyes to adjust to the sunlight pouring in through the cracks in the window drapes. His breathing was irregular and his mind felt like it was on fire. Ash looked around the room hesitantly. White walls, light blue curtains, checkered floor; this didn't feel at all like where he fell unconscious. Was he dead? Could this be Heaven?

Ash reached behind his neck and felt a small bump. The slightest touch sent waves of horrible memories through his head and he immediately withdrew his hand. No, he decided, this definitely was not Heaven. He looked down and realized he was wearing a blue hospital gown. This wasn't the hospital that the Rockets were at, he was sure of that much. _Maybe I was rescued!_

After pushing the covers off of himself, the boy got up and walked into the bathroom. He felt dizzy and light-headed, but strong enough to make the walk. He stopped in front of the sink, looked into the mirror, and immediately balked at the image he saw. His skin was a sickly green color and spotted with small blue spots. His eyes were no longer the soft brown color, but a daunting blood red. He raised his arm up and moved it about, unconvinced he was staring at his own body. He ran his hand across his skin. It even felt a little rougher. _What happened to me?_

Slowly, Ash reached behind himself and undid his gown ties. He let the cloth slip off his body, cringing in anticipation of seeing his body. To his surprise, his chest, while still green, was severely less carved up than he expected. All the cuts had either healed into scars or disappeared completely. Ash ran his fingers across them in disbelief. _This can't be real…I couldn't have healed this fast, could I? How long have I been out?_

He ran some cold water in the sink and splashed some on his face. Unfortunately, the nightmare did not go away and he still had pale green skin. It looked so familiar, but his mind still felt like it was in a haze. He stepped back out into his room and noticed something on the nightstand. Six small pokeballs were lying there next to a hair tie. Ash recognized the pokeballs as his own and the hair tie as Misty's. Ash suddenly remembered that her and Brock had been captured as well and immediately felt guilty for not worrying about them sooner. Well, if her hair tie is here, she must be too and that means Brock is probably with her.

A little more searching yielded a pile of clothes Ash recognized as his own sitting on a dresser under a television. The blood had been washed out, so he put them on. Reattaching his pokeballs, Ash walked over to the door. Before getting there, Ash noticed a cassette tape sitting on the edge of the dresser. The words "Jenny's Report" were scribbled on the front. Curious to see if this would answer any of his questions, Ash popped the tape into the VCR and fiddled with the TV controls until he could get the tape to play. The picture came into focus as a female news anchor sitting at her desk in some station.

"…in other news," a news channel reporter was saying, "The Violet Isle police stormed a small Team Rocket facility yesterday after receiving a tip from a trainer's Pokemon, managing to save the lives of three young trainers who had been kidnapped."

_Small?_ Ash thought. _It didn't seem small to me. Giovanni was even there!_

The feed cut to a broadcast of Officer Jenny sitting in her police station. "Yesterday, a Zubat arrived at our office, sent from one of the kidnapped trainers. Thankfully, our own Officer Davan had a Zubat as well, and we were able to figure out the message it was relaying. We rushed to the abandoned hospital as soon as possible. Oddly enough, we found the entire building almost devoid of actual Rocket members. Any evidence as to what they were doing was gone, and besides a few bodies, there was no evidence of this being a major Rocket hideout. It would seem that if this was any kind of base of operations it was abandoned prior to our arrival."

_What the hell? How did Giovanni manage to cut and run so quickly? How did he even know the police were coming?_

The feed cut back to the news anchor. "The three trainers were rescued, and although one remains in the Goldwood City Hospital in critical condition, he is expected to make a successful recovery." Her face turned to a smile. "Now, let's look at our five-day forecast!"

Ash shut the TV off and sat down on the edge of his bed. He had more questions than answers now and he bit his lip pensively. Nothing seemed to fit right and he was too confused to figure it out for himself. He needed to talk to Brock and Misty. He got up and walked over to the door. He grabbed the handle and turned, but to no avail. Ash furrowed his brow. The door was locked. From the outside.

Ash was beginning to worry. Why was he locked into his room? This didn't feel right at all and he realized he had to get out of here in case there was something terribly wrong going on. He thought about it for a second, then reached to his belt and picked out a pokeball. He held it out in front of him. "Geodude! I choose you!" He said, and a red beam shot from the tip of the ball, eventually forming into the rock Pokemon. "Okay, Geodude." Ash knelt down next to the pokemon. "I need you to smash this doorknob off, okay?"

"Dude?" The floating boulder asked, his eyes conveying uncertainty.

"Don't argue, okay? Just do it."

"Geo." The pokemon shrugged and proceeded to beat the hell out of the knob. Ash winced at the loud clanging sounds, but it was over soon enough. He peered into the small hole in the door where the knob used to be. The other side of the door still had its knob in place, but the lock had fallen out of place. Ash grinned at his luck and immediately pushed the door open. He peered out through the crack in the door. There were several nurses busying about at the end of the hall, but none were paying him any attention. He quickly reached up and snatched the papers off the front of his door. He quickly ducked back into his room and let the door close behind him.

"Now to see what wrong with me." Ash told Geodude. He looked at the diagnosis and frowned. Nothing was written down except for one word in large red letters: Quarantined.

"Quarantined?" Ash asked. "Why the hell am I…" His words trailed off. What was so wrong with him that they couldn't even write it on the sheet? Something so wrong they had to lock him in his own room so he couldn't escape. He slowed down and stared at the windows. "Geodude?"

"Dude dude."

"Move those curtains, will you?" He asked softly. Geodude obeyed and opened up the curtains. The window was lined with steel bars. Ash let out a deep breath. This place was looking more and more like a jail cell. "Not good…"

"Geo? Geodude?"

"How am I going to get around?" He thought for a second. Well, maybe if he moved fast enough, no one would look at him twice. Ash moved to the bathroom mirror and adjusted his hat and gloves to cover as much of his skin as possible. His jacket sleeves still showed some of his arms, but he could cross them and hide most of the skin. He tried wrapping a hand towel around his mouth and nose, but it didn't look at all natural. Instead, he flipped his collar up and practiced hunching over and slouching. After a few minutes of posing and preparing, he decided he had waited long enough. After recalling Geodude to his pokeball, he pushed the door open and walked out into the hallway.

_Okay, act natural. Just walk. Try not to think about this too much._ Ash mentally prepped himself as he walked down the hallway. He took a deep breath as he prepared to pass by the throng of chatting nurses. Thankfully, they were so engrossed in their conversation and paid little attention to him. One nurse glanced his way and gave a little wave. Ash nodded to her uneasily, but kept walking. He let out a deep breath. _Thank God I decided to wear a standard issue trainer outfit. _They didn't even so much as give him a second look.

The end of the hall had an intersection with another hall and a sign that directed him around. He quickly scanned the words and realized that going right would take him to the waiting rooms and, hopefully, a set of elevators or a staircase. He turned right and did his best to move fast without running. He kept his head down as he hurried and the people who passed by him didn't seem to think anything of it. Ash couldn't help but smile. _This is going much better than I could have ever dreamed! Now I just need to get to the stairs and I will be home-_

"Here's some coffee. You need it. I don't think you've slept for the last few days."

Ash stopped in his tracks. That was Brock's voice! He looked up and sure enough, he could see into the large waiting room at the end of the hall. Misty was sitting in a red chair and Brock was handing her a cup. They were both facing away from him and neither were looking out into the hall. Ash grinned and started to hurry over toward them. They could help get him out easily. At least, he hoped they could. As he got closer, he noticed someone else walk into the room from another doorway. He was wearing a lab coat and had thick-rimmed glasses.

"Hello Mr. Stone, Miss Waterflower."

Ash froze in place and went rigid as a board. What if this is his doctor? He shifted his gaze around quickly. Luckily, his eyes caught the sight of a gurney with a long white cloth draped over it. He moved toward it and, with a quick glance around to make sure no one was watching, ducked under the gurney. The cloth wasn't look enough to reach the ground, but it was enough to hide most of his body.

_Well, now what?_ Ash thought glumly. He heard some voices faintly from the lobby. _I wish I knew what they were talking about._ That thought seemed to spark Ash's curiosity and he slowly pushed the gurney closer to the entrance to the waiting room. Once he could hear clearly, he stopped moving and crouched in waiting.

"Well, do you know what's wrong with Ash or what?" Misty asked, obviously perturbed. "He's been unconscious for three whole days!" Brock put his hand on Misty's shoulder to try and calm her down.

"Miss Waterflower, please calm down. I know this can't be easy for you…"

"You're damn right it isn't!" She was seething, her face turning as red as her hair. "I wasn't even allowed in his room today! What is going on? Are you keeping something from us?"

"One question at a time, please." The doctor sighed and removed his glasses. He pulled a handkerchief from his shirt pocket and cleaned the lenses. "I'll try and explain to you what's going on." Misty opened her mouth again, but thought better of it and leaned back in the chair, her arms crossed. "We ran some blood tests on Mr. Ketchum, like I told you we would. I must say that the results are…startling. I have never seen anything like this before."

"What?" Misty finally blew up, unable to contain her impatience. "Just tell us what those damn Rockets did to him!"

"Well…it would seem Mr. Ketchum had his DNA…altered." Misty's look of anger was replaced with a look of concerned confusion. Brock's face mimicked hers.

"Altered?" He asked. The doctor nodded.

"What they injected in him appears to be some kind of virus. When it was injected into his body, it began to feed on important proteins and nucleotides in his DNA structure. The virus then attached itself to his DNA, effectively replacing the missing parts and rebonding the structure. The added energy it gets from the DNA pieces allows it to reproduce and spread throughout the body." The doctor put his glasses back on. "Such a thing would usually kill it's recipient in a matter of hours, but whoever engineered this virus knew what they were doing. The reassembled DNA strands are made to actually resemble that of another living creature."

Ash could feel the color starting to drain from his face. His hands were starting to shake slightly. Misty and Brock looked at each other with shocked faces. Misty finally asked, "W-what creature?"

"A Pokemon." The doctor said after a moment of silence. "More specifically, a Bulbasaur." Ash stared at his skin. So that's where he had seen this pattern before: on his Bulbasaur. He traced some of the blue patches on his skin. Was he really part Pokemon?

"I can't…I don't…How could this be?" Misty asked softly, her hands on the sides of her head.

"Can you…can you help him?" Brock asked slowly. "Maybe create an antidote or something?"

"Well…it would be possible to create an antibody that would help fight off the virus and reform his old DNA…" The doctor chose his words carefully. "…However, the odds of us being able to have it ready in time for Mr. Ketchum is…"

" '_In time?_' " Misty sat up at the edge of her seat and glared at the man. Her hands were gripping the armrests hard enough to rip the fabric. "What the hell is that supposed to mean?"

"The virus is multiplying at a fairly rapid rate." The doctor said. "And it makes Mr. Ketchum's genetic structure very unstable. As the virus mutates, it will start to absorb and replace more and more key pieces of his genetic structure." The doctor had a pained look on his face as he watched the two trainers' expression when what he said started to sink in. "Essentially he will become less human and more Pokemon. More instinctual. More primal. The virus will eventually attack his brain as well. We hypothesize that he will start to lose his memories in a few days, if not sooner."

"Oh my God!" Misty gasped and stood straight up. "I need to go see him immediately! Before he forgets who I am!"

"I'm afraid I can't let you do that." The doctor said sadly. "We have him locked away with no visitors for a reason. We don't know how far along his degraded mentality will be when he awakes. He could start lashing out like a wild Pokemon." He sighed. "He's even showing some signs of regression. His wounds have almost all healed, and we believe he has adopted the regenerative properties seen in most Pokemon. Right now, he is to be considered hostile and potentially a danger to those around him. I'm afraid we'll have to keep him under lock and key until we can hand him over to the proper authorities."

"Proper authorities?" Misty shrieked. "You want to cage him up like some kind of animal for laboratory study!" She reached out to slap the doctor, but Brock managed to hold her back. Barely.

"I am truly sorry about this, but we don't have much a choice. Creating an antibody strong enough to combat the virus could take years, and I'm not sure Mr. Ketchum has more than a few weeks. Chances are a million to one of curing him." Misty sat down dejectedly and let her head drop into her hands. Brock patted her shoulder comfortingly.

Ash had to physically remind himself to keep breathing. How had things gotten so out of control so quickly? He couldn't believe what he had heard. He stared down at his hands. There was no way. No way in hell….

"I have some paperwork to fill out. Once again, I am very sorry about this. If I could do something for him I would." The doctor shuffled his papers around awkwardly. "You should contact his mother."

"Yes. Of course." Brock said numbly. Misty just continued to stare at her palms. The doctor turned and walked out of the lobby. Ash watched the man's feet disappear from view from under the gurney blanket. His breathing ragged, Ash could only kneel there, dumbfounded. He could hear the soft sound of Misty crying. He felt his heart drop into his stomach. He wanted more than anything to be able to comfort her.

_We don't know how far along his degraded mentality will be when he awakes. He could start lashing out like a wild Pokemon._ The doctor's words sprung into Ash's mind. _Right now, he is to be considered hostile and potentially a danger to those around him._

Ash bit his lip. He felt all right, but the doctor knew what he was talking about. What if it was true? He could really be a threat. What if he went to see his friends and relapsed? Ash couldn't stand the thought of hurting Brock or Misty. He stared at his hands for a few minutes. What the hell was he going to do?

"C'mon Misty." He heard Brock say calmly. "There's a phone in the adjacent room." There was some shuffling, then footsteps going in the opposite direction. Ash took a deep breath. _Last chance to join them_, he thought. But he stayed put. Misty's words from the pokecenter a few days ago came back to him. _I can't imagine ever being able to stand being around someone who looks like that. _She had said about the hybrid in the newspaper. _What a freak._

His eyes began to water and his vision blurred. How was he supposed to live as a dangerous freak of nature? What was he supposed to with his life now? How long did he even have to live? How could Team Rocket even do this to somebody?

That's when it hit him. He was a test. Giovanni said it himself. That meant there were others…and that there would be more. He was going to do this to other innocent people. Ash's hands subconsciously balled into fists. Where would that bastard stop? Other trainers? Women? **Kids**?

_No._ Ash thought to himself. _That was not going to happen._

He glanced out from under the gurney blanket. There was no one else around, which mean this was going to be Ash's best opportunity. He quietly snuck out from beneath the gurney and tiptoed up to the elevator. He pushed the button repeatedly until the door opened. The chamber was thankfully empty and Ash closed the door manually. Taking a deep breath, he pressed the ground floor button and felt the room move around him.

He took off his right glove for a second and stared at his green hand. He wanted revenge on Giovanni for what he did, he was sure of that. But revenge was only a secondary motive. More importantly, Ash wanted to be sure that no one else has to go through what he went through. What he's _going_ through. He was going to stop Team Rocket at any cost. If he was going to turn into an uncontrollable force of destruction, he knew exactly where he was going to aim himself at. _Giovanni better watch out…that bastard just created his worst fucking nightmare_.

The elevator stopped and Ash quickly put his gloves back on. When the door opened, he slouched over to hide himself and walked calmly into the main lobby. A few people turned his way, but no one paid particular attention to him. He stopped in front of the door. Out in the parking lot was a police vehicle. The license plate clearly read 'Jenny'. Ash got an idea and looked around the lobby until he found a suggestion box, complete with a pen and a pad of paper. He quickly scribbled down some words then took the piece of paper outside with him. The sun was bright and overpowering. Ash squinted from the pain to his eyes. He realized he would need a pair of sunglasses and some new clothes. That would best be done at another city.

He placed the note under the wiper blades of Jenny's squad car. Once he was sure it was secure, he walked out of the parking lot. The dense Goldenwood Forest was only a mile away from here. That would be perfect cover for getting around until he could reach Garnet City. From there…well, that was up to fate.

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Brock looked around nervously as he followed Misty down the hallway. He could usually manage to keep her head cool, but when she got something in her head, it was almost impossible to convince her otherwise. Right now was one of those times. He knew that look in her eyes. You don't mess with that look.

"Look Misty…" Brock started. "I understand what you're doing. I want to see Ash too. But I really think this is a bad idea."

"What?" Misty said rather than asked. Her voice was heavy with irritation and she didn't even turn his way. "Just because some stuffy doctor told you no, you're just going to lie down and give up. I don't know about you, but I'm going to see Ash before he gets hauled away."

"I know, all I'm saying is that maybe we should reconsider how we go about it. We could still ask for permission to see him, maybe with some supervision." He sighed. "If we get caught sneaking into his room, we will be kicked out for sure and then we'll never see him again."

"No. I'm not going to let my final moments with Ash be monitored by government officials." She said. Her voice was unsteady and only her sheer willpower was keeping her from breaking down at the words she was saying. "There are things I need to do and things I need to tell him. Private matters, understand?" Brock raised an eyebrow, but didn't make any comments. Misty stared straight ahead. _I am not going to let you forget about me._ She thought determinedly.

Upon entering the east wing of the building, several nurses looked up from behind the desk. Misty stopped in front of them obediently. "Can I help you?" One nurse asked.

"Just stopping in to see Mr. Strausser in room 327 again." Misty said sweetly. The other nurses looked back and forth at each other, and then back at her.

"You've been here before?"

"Of course! I'm his niece Penny, remember?" Misty tapped her foot impatiently. "Can I go see him or not?"

The nurse peered down at her chart, then back up at her. "Um…sure. Yes." She nodded. Misty smiled back and grabbed Brock's hand, pulling him down the hall. Once they were out of earshot, Brock leaned down and whispered.

"Mr. Strausser?"

"I met a few people in the waiting room." Misty smiled evilly. "It often pays to actually listen to people. We even got off easier than I expected. I had a lot more information I could give about my poor 'uncle'. Now come on, let's go see Ash."

The dup made their way down the hallway until they reached a wooden door with the number 333 across it in gold letters. Misty took a deep breath and reached out for the knob and froze. She just stared at the door. He hand began to shake and drops of sweat appeared on her forehead.

"Misty?" Brock asked.

"I don't know if I can do this." She said. "I don't know how I'm going to face him knowing this may be out last…our last…"

"Then I'll do it." Brock reached forward and grabbed the doorknob. Much to his surprise, it came right off. Brock stared dumbly at the brass handle in his hand. "What the hell is this all about?"

"Ash?" Misty asked. She stuck a finger in the doorknob hole and pulled the door open. Her face scrunched up in fear and worry, as the first thing she noticed was the empty bed. "ASH?" The two walked into the room and looked around. Their friend was nowhere in sight. "Could he…could he be in the bathroom?" Misty's voice faltered.

"I doubt it." Brock reached down and picked a hospital gown off the floor. "His clothes and pokeballs are gone."

"No…" Misty covered his mouth. "He left. He actually left without…without…"

"What the hell is going on here?" The doctor's annoyed voice came from the doorway as he stepped into the room. "What in God's name are you two doing in here? What happened to the doorknob?" He took a quick survey of the room. "And where is the patient?"

"I don't know." Brock said. "He was gone when we got here."

"Shit!" He hissed and quickly drew a walkie-talkie from his belt. "All personnel! This is Doctor Conway! We have a code blue! Patient 333 has gone missing from his room. He is to be considered hostile and very dangerous." He looked at the gown in Brock's hand. "He is most likely wearing a trainer's outfit so don't let anyone dressed like that out of your sights." He shut the machine off and sighed. "This is why I insist on putting surveillance cameras in the rooms…"

"What's going on?" Misty asked. "Do you know where he is?"

"No." The doctor said irritably. "And that frightens the hell out of me."

The next half an hour was surreal for Misty as she and Brock followed the doctor around the hospital as he gathered accounts from the nurses. Apparently, several people saw a man in trainer's clothes walk by and just didn't think anything of it. This annoyed Doctor Conway severely and he expressed himself by swearing constantly while they moved about the building. They eventually met up with Officer Jenny, who was waiting for them at the lobby.

"Officer!" Conway said as they approached. "I have grave news. The patient from the Team Rocket incident has escape and…"

"I know." Jenny said simply. Misty noticed she was holding a piece of paper. The officer held it out to her. "I found this on the hood of my car. It's for you, Misty."

"Me?" The redhead accepted the letter and her heart skipped a beat. The handwriting was unmistakably Ash's. She quickly began to read the scribbled words with Brock's head positioned over her shoulder.

_Misty,_

_First off, I want to apologize for not being able to tell you this is person. You know what the doctor said; I'm a dangerous menace and my mind is deteriorating every day. The last thing I would want to do is cause you or Brock harm. But I knew I had to contact you once more before I left._

_This isn't easy for me to say, but I need to get a few things off my chest. First, I want to thank you for staying by me and believing in me. It meant a lot to have you and Brock by my side as often as I could. You guys are the best friends I could have asked for. Secondly, I wanted to apologize for being such a pain in the ass. I've always wanted to say sorry for all the mean things I've said and done, but you know me and my pride. Not something I really have to worry about now, though, and I want you to know I'm sorry. I'm also sorry for not being able to keep our promise, Misty. I hope you can forgive me._

_You don't worry about me, okay? I want you two to just go on with your lives. Just keep going forward. Don't forget about me either. Remember me as the kid you grew with, rather than the beast I am now. I'll never forget either of you, no matter what happens to my memory._

_Take care of yourself Misty._

_Ash_

Misty'seyes were watering by the time she lowered the paper down. "He…he's really gone, isn't he?" Brock didn't respond. He didn't know how. Misty began to choke on her tears a little bit before she spun around to face Jenny.

"YOU!" She said, a little louder than she meant. Jenny backed up a little in surprise, her eyes widening. Misty grabbed her sleeve. "You have to go track him down and bring him back!"

"Misty…" Brock said slowly.

"Bring him back so Doctor Conway can fix him! You have to! Please!" She pleaded.

"I already told you the likelihood of him getting an antidote in time is a million to one, so I don't see…"

"If he's out there on his own, his chances are a million to NONE!" Misty shouted. "Please Jenny…find him…" She lowered her head sobbed into the officer's uniform. "You have to bring him back to me…"

"I'm sorry." Jenny said and Misty let go of the sleeve. "I have to go speak to the doctor now." She squeezed the girl's shoulder reassuringly and then walked off with the doctor. Misty just cried into her hands. Brock felt like breaking down himself, but knew he had to be strong. He hated the role, but it was one he played his whole life.

"Misty, c'mon." He put an arm around her. "Let's go sit down."

"No." She choked through her tears. "We have to go. There's no time to loose. We have to find him ourselves."

"Please be realistic for a change." Brock said. "Ash is…Ash is…" He couldn't get himself to say the words. "…We can't go after him."

"Would you abandon him so easily?" She hissed through gritted teeth.

"That's not fair, Misty."

"Neither is losing him like this!" She looked up at him angrily, tears streaming down her cheeks. "I'm not going to give up on him, dammit! I won't! Never!"

"I don't like having to do this, but you read Ash's letter. He wants you to go forward. He wouldn't want to you to revel in what happened to him. He wouldn't want you to do this to yourself." He stared Misty in the eyes. "He would want you to go on with your life."

"ASH IS MY LIFE!" She yelled at him. Her body trembled and she collapsed into Brock's arms. The man was surprised at the outburst, but immediately began to comfort her. "We made a promise." She said softly. "A little while back. Neither of us knew what we really wanted to do with ourselves. Ash just wanted to keep his Pokemon journey going and I wanted to see more of the world. So we made a promise that we would continue adventuring together as long as we could. That way we would never have to leave each other." She looked up at Brock. "You're my friend, but eventually you'll have to go back to your family and my sisters have all moved on without me. I'll be alone." She sighed and closed her eyes. "I can't go on without him, Brock. He's all I really have."

She pushed away from him and wiped her tears away. She straightened up and fixed her disheveled hair. After a few moments, she opened her eyes and looked back at her friend. "I understand where your coming from, Brock. I'm sorry about what I said; I know you'd never abandon Ash." She gave him a fake smile. "But I have to go after him. So I guess this is goodbye for a while."

"Hold on now." Brock said, stepping forward. "You're not ready to go out after him yet. You're a complete wreck. You'll probably collapse in no time." He sighed. "You're going to need someone there to look after you. So you're not going anywhere without me."

Misty visibly brightened up. "You're coming?" She asked. "So you think there really is a chance for Ash?"

"No, I don't." Brock said seriously. "But there's still hope for you. And I refuse to lose both my best friends in the same day."

Misty smile was sincere now and she hugged Brock happily. "Thank you." She said.

"First, though, we need to go after Jenny. Gather some information. If we're going to do this, we'll do it right." Brock ended the embrace. "And we'll need a good night's sleep. Tomorrow, we can begin to look."

Misty looked up to him a nodded. "Tomorrow."

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Out in the depths of the Goldenwood Forest, Ash leaned back against the trunk of a large tree. Moonlight shone down through the treetops and it illuminated the pokemon fighting in front of him. He watched intently as his Bulbasaur fought intently with Venonat. His eyes monitored Bulbasaur's every move, noting every muscle movement as it unleashed vines from its body. Ash absentmindedly rubbed his hands together.

_So I'm going to become more and more Pokemon._ He thought. _I guess I should start seeing what I can do._

End of First Iteration.

**Outro:** So this brings an end to the first Act of the story. Sorry about the lack of action in this chapter, as it's mostly plot advancement and setting up the events of the next few chapters. The next installment will kick off the Second Iteration and there will be plenty of action in it, I promise. Hopefully, you won't have to wait as long for it.


	4. Vindication

Hi everyone. This marks the beginning of the second iteration. I hope you enjoy it and I will try and get the next chapter out as soon as possible. Once again, I do not own Pokemon or it's characters.

**Hybrids: Second Iteration**

**Strand 1: Vindication**

The summer heat had continued to grow in intensity all across Violet Isle. The citizens had hoped that the end of August would herald in cooler temperatures, but the relentless assault of the sun refused to diminish.

Through the streets of Garnet City, young children chased each other around with squirt guns and buckets of water in order to stay cool. Thos who were old enough to begin their training made use of their Squirtles and Poliwags. Despite the reports that a Team Rocket facility was found the next town over, life went on here and the air was filled with joyous laughter and enthusiastic yells.

On one particular street, on the crest of a hill, a mother sat on a lawn chair, watching, out of the corner of her eye, her son and daughter play around in the front of the yard. She was reading a dime store novel and sipping a drink out of a tall glass. It was another lazy Saturday afternoon and until it cooled down, this was how she planned to spend her time.

Her attention was divided so many ways, she didn't notice the stranger approach her until his shadow covered her body. She turned her head and she almost dropped her glass in surprise. The young man was dressed in a long beige overcoat and had a wide-brimmed fedora on his head. He had dark sunglasses on his face and, at least in the shade of his hat brim, what looked like the worst tan she'd ever seen.

"Excuse me." The man said, and his youthful voice told her he must have been in his late teens. "I didn't mean to startle you."

"Can I…help you?" She asked, setting her book down on her lap. She didn't understand how he could be wearing such heavy clothing. He must be boiling under all those garments.

"Actually, you can." The stranger said. "I'm new here and I'm looking for the Garnet City Breeding Center. Do you know where it is?"

"Why, yes." She said. "Just go down Arbor Street until you reach an intersection. Go right and don't stop until you reach the left turn onto Garden Road. The breeding center is at the end of that road."

"Thanks very much." The stranger nodded. "I'm sorry to have bothered you."

"It's all right." She gave him a small smile. He didn't smile back. She was about to pick her book back up when she heard a loud wail. Both her and the stranger turned to the road, where the young girl had fallen down and scraped her knee. She was bawling her eyes out while the son stood and watched her from the grass. "Oh, Elise." The woman sighed and looked for a place to set her drink when there was another sound from the side of the hill. It was the sound of a speeding car. The driver sped recklessly down the road, obviously unaware of the child lying on the asphalt ahead of him.

"ELISE!" The woman screeched. She jumped to her feet fast enough to send the book flying down to the lawn. The glass dropped from her hand and crashed onto the ground, chipping the rim. Her eyes were glued to the scene, but her legs were frozen stiff in fright.

The stranger whipped off his sunglasses and narrowed his red eyes. He dashed ahead, rolling up his trench coat sleeve. The sun glinted down on his green skin. It felt rejuvenating to be in the sunlight again.

Ash straightened out his arm in front of him, positioning his hand palm-up, and felt a familiar tingle go up his arm as if small creatures were crawling under his skin. Suddenly, a slit in his wrist burst open and a torrent of razor-sharp leaves flew out ahead of him. They sliced along the car's front wheels, creating deep cuts in the rubber. The car squealed as it swerved around, but it wasn't slowing down fast enough. Ash swore to himself as he judged the distance between him and the young girl and the distance between the girl and the car. This would have to be timed carefully.

He closed his eyes and prepared himself for the discomfort that would accompany his next move. In a blinding moment of pain, he felt two long vines burst from his back, tearing two holes in the trench coat. The wriggled in the air, like two extra appendages, before diving forward and wrapping themselves around the girl's waist. Ash yanked back and the vines pulled her off the road seconds before the car plowed through the area she just was. The vines dropped the child off in Ash's arms before recoiling and returning into his back. The girl was still crying loudly when Ash returned her to her mother's arms. The poor woman was conflicted about whether to stare at her daughter or the man who just performed the rescue. She began to rock the young girl gently, trying to calm her down. The child eventually stopped crying and settled into her mom's embrace. The woman looked back up to Ash with wide eyes, trying to form her words.

"I…I…" Her mouth opened and closed several times. "…Thank you. "

"Your welcome." He said simply before putting his sunglasses back on, turning around, and walking away. "We're even now." The woman wanted to respond, but her mind had yet to catch up with the events that just transpired. By the time she figured out what to say, Ash was already walking down the street. He stopped by the once speeding car and watched its owner swear relentlessly as he stared at the slashed tires. He had apparently missed the whole thing. Ash walked up to him and grabbed his collar. "Next time, watch where you're going." He hissed before pushing the man away. The man stumbled away in confusion and Ash kept on walking.

He knew it was stupid to do what he just did, especially in broad daylight, but he didn't regret it. He saved a little girl and if that compromised his secrecy, so be it. He hadn't sold his soul yet.

The previous week had gone by in a blur. By watching his Bulbasaur, Ash had managed to pick up on how to use certain muscles to perform the inherit abilities of a Bulbasaur. It was uncomfortably weird to discover a brand new set of voluntary movements that he felt like he had his entire life; as if he was re-learning how to walk or grab a pencil. The motions became second nature and soon he could call out razor leaves and vines without having to think about it. He had adapted so quickly it scared him.

His quick advancements had negative effects as well, and it jarred Ash whenever he woke up that today might be the day he lost control. And his fading memory only added to his crumbling psyche. Sometimes he would wake up, recalling a moment from his past and not remember how it ends. It was as if moments of his life had been cut out of his mind with a knife.

Subconsciously, Ash reached into his pocket and ran his fingers across the photograph he kept nearby at all times. He pulled it out and stared at the image again. It was of him, Misty, and Brock. It was taken a couple years ago when he challenged and beat the Elite Four. Misty and Brock had come along to cheer him on and all three of them celebrated for a week afterward. The picture showed them with their arms around each other, grinning wildly. Ash ran his thumb along the glossy material, and his eyes shifted to his wrists. The slit that had opened in his skin had almost completely healed up; in a few minutes it would be like it was never there. He sighed, then stuffed the photo back into his pocket.

Before he knew it, he had reached the end of Garden Road. A long driveway winded up a hill toward a mansion-esque building. Ash grunted. He was lucky enough to stumble upon a Rocket Grunt while camping out in the Goldenwood Forest. Apparently, he had escaped from the fiasco at the hospital. It didn't take much coercion to get the henchman to spill his guts about everything he knew. He didn't know anything about what happened at the hospital, apparently, but he did know that the Garnet City Breeding Center was just a cover-up for a Rocket laboratory. He could have been lying to save his skin, but it was too good a lead to just pass up. Ash wasn't even sure what he was going to do. He assumed he would just wing it when he got there, but now that he was here, it didn't seem like the best idea. Ash tapped his foot and stared ahead. Well, maybe some scouting around would be the best idea. He put his hands in his coat pockets and walked up the driveway.

o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o

The breeding center was large and ornate, and Ash could only stare at it in wonder and awe. It didn't look at all like some kind of scum hideout, but that was probably what Team Rocket was going for. Ash frowned and took a look around the premises. There were cars and bikes parked all along the outside of the building and people were walking around, chatting and swapping Pokemon. Several people looked his way in confusion, but Ash made a point not to stare back. After staying secluded in a forest for a week, being in such a public place was unnerving.

His eyes darted to an ornate stone path that curved around the corner of the building. He tried his best to nonchalantly walk through the throng of people and follow the path as it led him behind the building. The path curved a bit more and eventually entered a large hedge maze. There was a metal gate that barred the entry into the maze. It was obvious that it hadn't been used much in recent months. A perfect place to wait and plan, Ash realized. He walked up to the bars and examined the metal lock. It was a little rusted, but was sturdy enough to serve its purpose.

His eyes darted about to make sure no one was watching him from a window or from around the corner. He interlaced his fingers around two of the bars and held on tightly as he willed the two vines to burst out of his back again. He saw white spots for a moment, but the pain was gone as fast as it came and the two plant-like appendages quickly wrapped around the top of the gate. Once he felt secure, Ash lifted his feet onto the gate and, supported by the vines, began to climb up and over the bars.

He landed on the ground with a thud, but he was far enough from the crowd that he wouldn't draw any attention. He quickly retracted the vines into his body and he dashed into the hedge maze. From his relatively lofty position on top of the gate, he had noticed there was large botanical garden in the center of the maze, which would be the best location for settling in until nightfall.

He jogged along the long stretches of dirt and shrubbery, trying to find the right way into the middle of the maze, until he came across a large hole in the hedge wall. Ash came to a halt and bent over to look into the hole. It looked like some had carved a large hole in the plant with a pair of knives. Even more curious was the fact that the hole continued straight ahead through several other walls until eventually reaching what looked like the center of the maze. Ash raised a single eyebrow in confusion. The cuts looked fairly recent. Not one to look a gift horse in the mouth, however, Ash simply shrugged and ducked through the hole in the wall. He followed the series of shortcuts all the way to the gardens. Ash moved through the final barrier a little slower, taking in his surroundings before jumping head first into what could be potential trouble. The garden was a large circular area paved with stones, with designated dirt squares with flowers and shaped shrubs. A large tree marked the center of the circle. There was a small man-made pond to his right and a series of benches looking over the water.

Ash took a deep breath when he noticed that a man was sitting in one of the benches, wearing ripped jeans and a white tank top. Could it be a member of Team Rocket? Ash could hardly see who it was, and he strained his head to get a better glimpse of the stranger. Not paying attention, he accidentally put his hand down on some dead twigs, which snapped loudly amidst the silence. The man jumped up from his seat and whipped around toward the hole in the hedge. Ash's eyes widened. The man's skin was more tanned now, even more so than Brock, and his usually floppy hair was now spiked out backwards like a porcupine, but there was no doubt who he was.

"James?" Ash asked uneasily. He wasn't sure how to approach him. James was technically a member of Team Rocket, and as such the enemy, but it was hard to imagine dopey, happy-go-lucky James as the type to get involved with Giovanni's plan. Although he hardly looked dopey or happy right now. James' expression was quizzical at first, and then his face eased with recognition.

"Twerp?" He asked. He let out a short laugh. "Now this is a interesting coincidence. I thought for sure you would have died on that operating table."

"What?" Ash asked, getting out of the hedge and standing up straight. He could feel his blood starting to boil. "You were there?"

"In a manner of speaking." James shrugged. "Nice outfit, by the way."

"You scumbag." Ash spat on the ground for emphasis. "I never thought you'd be one of the lowlifes to participate in this twisted scheme, but I guess all Rockets have the ability to stoop that low."

"Participate isn't the right word for it, kid." James said, hands on his hips.

"What is that supposed to mean?" Ash asked.

"What did they combine you with anyway?" James ignored the question, trying to peer past the trench coat. "Green skin…spots…Caterpie maybe?"

"Bulbasaur." Ask answered.

"Of course. Very low-level Pokemon. Explains why you were passed out so long." He raised his right arm up. "I, on the other hand, got something a little more…advanced." As he said this, the skin around his knuckles began to open up, allowing two long bone claws to expand outwards across his fingers.

"What the…" Ash faltered, then regained his composure. "Sandslash, huh?"

"Very good. Mr. Pokemon Master learned a few things on his travels." James moved his hand about to show off the claws he had just sprouted.

"You must be a real sick individual to let them do this to you." Ash growled. "Or did they just not tell you about our deteriorating bodies?"

"You seem to think I wanted this." James scowled. "I assure you I didn't. That son of a bitch Giovanni did this to me and left me to die in that goddamn hospital." He pointed his claws toward Ash. "As useful as these claws are, I never asked for them."

"What the hell are you doing here anyway?" Ash asked, standing still and watching James's every movement. "Trying to find a new Rocket group to join up with?"

"Not that it's any of your goddamn business, but no." James said. "Besides, I could ask the same thing of you. Where's the rest of your little brat pack?" When Ash didn't answer, James just laughed cruelly. "What's wrong twerp? Did they leave you after finding out what a freak you became?"

Ash's face heated up and he balled his fists. He hated it when people spoke ill of his friends. "Actually, I left them."

"Oh, that's rich." James grinned darkly. "Mr. My-Friends-Are-My-Strength is striking it out alone. How ironically poetic."

"Shut the hell up, James!" Ash shouted. "Besides, I don't see your little cheering squad! Where is the redheaded bimbo you used to hang out with?" James' face fell and the smile disappeared from view. Now it was Ash's turn to grin. "What's wrong? Did _she_ abandon _you_ in that hospital? Or maybe she was one of the Rockets who betrayed you?"

"You're treading on thin ice, bitch." James hissed, letting the claws on his left hand shift out from under his skin.

"What's wrong, James? Did your woman turn you over to Giovanni?" Ash taunted. It felt good to get out his pent-up aggression on someone.

"This is your last warning, twerp. I don't care if I have to kill you. Hell, it might even enjoy it."

"You want to fight?" Ash asked. "Then come on! I've been looking forward to an opportunity to beat someone senseless." He struck up a fighting pose.

"Idiot. Are you really in that big of a hurry to **_die_**?" James shouted the last word as he rushed Ash, his right hand drawn back. Ash quickly ducked his head to the side as James' first punch whizzed past him. The sudden movement caused Ash's hat to fly off his head. James cursed and turned around, continuing to slice at his opponent. Ash took quick hops backwards, each jump barely keeping him out of the reach of James' claws. His attacks got closer and closer until he started to tear at Ash's trench coat. After one final jump back, Ash grabbed the collar of his coat and ripped it off his body, chucking the ruined cloth at James. He growled and cut through the fabric like butter, but it was enough to throw him off his rhythm.

Ash, now wearing just his trainer outfit, turned and ran toward the man-made pond. He came to a quick stop and flipped around, aware the James was closing the gap between them again. With a sudden sound of skin tearing, the vines once again sprung out from his back. They stretched outward and wrapped themselves around James' wrists. The man grunted in surprise and was immediately thrown down to the ground. His face made contact with the stone, leaving a splatter of blood against the ground.

James snarled and grabbed onto the vines with his hands. Ash's eyes widened as James tugged hard and he lost his footing, tripping closer to his downed foe. James glared up at the boy, blood dripping off his forehead and down in front of his right eye. He swung his leg around and kicked Ash's shins from the side. The vines uncurled from James' wrists as the man let go, and Ash tumbled into the water with a splash.

He resurfaced as fast as possible, struggling for air and gasping when he broke the surface of the water. He didn't have much time to recover because the minute his eyes opened, he saw James jumping toward him. His hand was pulled back, ready to strike down with his claws. Ash pushed off the bottom of the stone pool with his feet, moving out of the way just as James hit the water. Ash let his vines do the work and extended them out so they could wrap around the legs of a steel bench. He reeled himself out of the water as James came up from underwater. The man growled when he saw Ash was out of reach again. He climbed out of the pool and Ash took the extra time to run over to the large tree in the middle of the garden. By the time James got to his feet, Ash had already sent his vines out to grab a hold of him again. James was ready this time and he ducked to the side before striking upward with his left claws and severed the end to Ash's left vine.

Ash screamed in pain and the vines immediately retreated into Ash's body. He stumbled onto one knee from the unbearable pain. _Christ! It felt like he ripped my arm off! _Ash groaned and tried to stand back up unsuccessfully. He stumbled and collapsed onto both knees, panting wildly.

"Isn't that a shame?" James laughed. "You really are an idiot, aren't you? Did you think I'd fall for the same trick twice?"

"Go to Hell." Ash groaned, but it came out as a whisper.

"You first." James lifted his right hand in the air. Much to Ash's dismay, the claws began to glow with a faint red color. With a grunt, James brought his hand down and drove the claws into the ground. There was a rumble and the ground split in two where his claws struck. The fissure in the ground moved toward Ash at an alarming speed. _An earthquake? _Ash's mind whirred.

Instinct took over and two vines sprouted out from Ash's back again and shot into the air, firmly tangling themselves in the branches. Ash got pulled up into the tree and the earthquake stopped just short of the stone barrier protecting the tree. James snorted in aggravation and put his hands on his hips.

"C'mon! Stop running, you pussy!" James shouted into the branches. "Fight me like a man!" There was no response and James sighed. He shook his head. "So this is the why you abandoned your friends, huh? Because you're too big of a coward to deal with the consequences? No wonder they haven't bothered coming after you."

He heard a shifting in the branches and James turned toward the sound with a malicious grin. _Heh. Looks like I found…you?_ James stepped back in surprise as a torrent of sharp leaves came whirling in his direction. He quickly lifted his left arm to shield his face as the leaves whizzed by him. Many passed by harmlessly, but he could feel most of the leaves rip through his skin, making deep cuts all over his body. When the assault ended, James fell down to his knees, clutching his badly torn up left arm.

Ash dropped down from the branches and, using his vines for support, landed on the ground gracefully. The vines retreated into his back and Ash put his fingerless gloves back on. "We may gain the power of the Pokemon we have been genetically fused with, but we also inherit the weaknesses." He walked toward James slowly, watching his foe's slow, but steady, breathing. "Sandslash is a ground type Pokemon. Which means you are weak to grass-based attacks. I can see those razor leaves did some serious damage to you."

Unexpectedly, James started to laugh. Ash stopped in his tracks, confused by the reaction. James slowly got to his feet, still chuckling. "That may be true, Ketchum…" He looked Ash straight in the eyes and fixed him with a stony stare. The cuts and marks on his body were already starting to heal. "…But weakness or not, you are not going to win this fight by giving papercuts."

Ash cursed, knowing deep down that James was right. He didn't want to have to kill the former Team Rocket member, but hoping to simply incapacitate him was not going to work. He took a deep breath and held his arm out straight. "Papercuts can be lethal, if there are enough of them." Ash responded.

"Well, you see, you've already lost the element of surprise. You try those damn leaves again and I'll be ready for them, just like your vines." James crossed his arms across his chest to get the point across that he was not afraid. "You've shown your hand. And unfortunately for you, I still have an ace up my sleeve." Suddenly, the dust and dirt around James' feet started to swirl around as if in an invisible tornado. It built up in size, then flew out through the air at Ash's face. Ash immediately shut his eyes and turned his head to protect himself from the ensuing sandstorm. It was then that it occurred to him that this was merely a distraction. He turned his head back around, but it was too late. The whirlwind of sand and dust vanished and James was in front of him, arms drawn back. Before Ash could react, James drove his claws into Ash's shoulders and pushed him to the ground. Ash screamed as he fell and grunted loudly when he hit the ground. James went with him, keeping his claws firmly implanted in the boy's flesh at all times.

"You picked a bad day to come looking for a fight, bitch." James snarled and began to twist his wrists, causing his claws to widen the holes in Ash's shoulders. The pinned boy cried out in pain. "I'm feeling especially sadistic today."

"Back…off…" Ash seethed, then mustered up all the energy he could. James watched in confusion as Ash's veins all began to stand out along his body.

"What the fuck?" James asked seconds before every pore on Ash's body released a small white spore into the air. James' looked on in shock and he subconsciously took a deep breath, taking in hundreds of tiny seeds. He closed his mouth in horror, but he had already inhaled too many spores. His skin started to turn a sickly green color and he felt the energy in his body being sapped from him. Two deep, gaping wounds began to force their way open in his shoulders. James' eyes widened, and he withdrew his claws from Ash's body before stumbling backwards until he reached a bench leg. He leaned against it and tried to catch his breath. Instead of helping, every passing second seemed to make him worse. Ash on the other hand, seemed to be healing faster than normal. His skin had turned a brighter green and his eyes a lighter red. The bleeding caused by the removal of the claws slowed down and the deep gashes started to close up.

"_That_ was my wild card." Ash said slowly. He refrained from getting up, knowing he was still too weak.

"Alright, alright. You win…I'm beat. I'm broken." James threw his hands up in frustration. It took more effort than it should have. "Just stop feeding off of me, will ya?"

"Promise not to go psycho on me when I stop?" Ash asked. James nodded furiously. Ash quit drawing from the seeds and James' skin returned to its normal hue. He breathed a sigh of relief and closed his eyes.

"So, is this a momentary truce?"

"Yeah." Ash responded, still clutching his shoulders, waiting for the damage to heal completely.

"Good." James groaned and rubbed his own shoulders. "I didn't take your grass affinity into account before fighting."

"I didn't think of it myself until I was up in that tree." Ash admitted with a shrug before wincing in pain. "Dammit, those claws fucking _hurt_."

"The wounds will heal." James said simply. "They always do." Ash nodded and the two sat in silence for several minutes, trying to regain their composure.

"Giovanni really forced this on you, didn't he?" Ash said eventually.

"I wasn't a volunteer if that's what you're asking." James said, stretching his arms to test his pain tolerance. "He forced those needles into me."

"Same here." Ash said with a shudder. "How much…how much of it do you remember?"

"Every goddamn minute."

"…Me too." They both looked away and the silence returned, even more awkward than before.

"What are you doing here, kid?" James asked. "You never did tell me. I assume you know this place is a secret Rocket facility."

"Well, I'm pissed off at Team Rocket right now so I was planning on doing a little espionage. And maybe if I'm lucky, a little sabotage as well." Ash realized he ay have said too much and quickly switched the subject. "And what about you, James?"

"I'm a large, condensed ball of pure anger, and I need someone to take it out on." James said. "I'm looking for a little payback."

"A little espionage?" Ash asked with a grin. "Maybe a little sabotage?" James smiled back. "We shouldn't be fighting James. We're on the same side here."

"What are you suggesting?" James asked. "That we go in together and wreck the place simultaneously?"

"Why not?' Ash asked. James seemed to seriously ponder that.

"Good question." He asked. "Two heads would be better than one. You've got some good fighting prowess." He leaned forward and extended his right hand. "Why the hell not, I accept your offer."

Ash stared at the hand for a second before James sheepishly retracted the bone claws. Ash gladly took the hand and shook it earnestly. "Good. What do you propose we do? I didn't really have a set plan."

"Well, I do have an idea about getting in. We need to wait for nightfall first."

"Fair enough." Ash nodded and he stood up slowly. His wounds had closed up and he was already beginning to feel better. "Why don't we sit down on a bench and go over what you have worked out."

"All right." James stood up as well. "Rest up though. We're hitting this place the minute the sun goes down."

"Perfect." Ash sat down on one of the benches. James sat next to him and the two started to plan out their scheme for that night.

To Be Continued…

* * *

Well I hope you all like this chapter. I promised you some more action, right? Oh, and in case any of you are nerds like I am... 

Ash's move list: Vine Whip, Razor Leaf, Leech Seed

James' move list: Slash, Sandstorm, Earthquake

I'll see you guys again soon with the next piece of the story. And just so you know, I love reading reviews, so be sure to leave one and let me know what you liked and what you didn't.

- TwilightEquinox


	5. Infiltration

Hello faithful readers! Thank you all for your reviews and comments. I value each one and I encourage you to keep doing so. Anyway, I hope you enjoy this large chapter! Things start to kick into high gear here as Ash starts to come to term with what he has become.

In case you haven't noticed, I don't own Pokemon or it's characters.

**Hybrids: Second Iteration**

**Strand 2: Infiltration**

As dusk fell on the breeding center, the employees closed up for the night and one by one left the building. Once all the lights had gone out and the last person locked the door on the way out, two silhouetted figures slunk out of the shadows and made their way to the side of the massive building. James led the way with Ash following behind, glancing around wearily.

"Are you sure we shouldn't wait any longer?" Ash asked.

"Stop worrying." James replied. "Everyone's gone home. At least everyone that's _supposed_ to be here." His eyes scanned the building furiously.

"Since when did you become so confident?" Ash asked. "I remember you being the more passive member of your team."

"I had a lot of bottled up emotions." James said, not bothering to look back at Ash. "This was the straw that broke the Rhyhorn's back. Besides, you should know better than anyone else the effect of the Rocket's expirements. How it can change you." Ash closed his mouth and sighed. He knew all too well. He didn't feel like himself anymore and he could guess James felt similarly. "Aha!" James said with a smirk. "There it is."

"Where?" Ash looked at the wall. "I don't see it."

"Up there." James pointed at a grate on the wall about eighteen feet up.

"What? I thought you said it was an easy access."

"It is." James held his hands up in the dim moonlight and the claws grew out of his skin. "For me."

"Couldn't we just use a window?"

"And set off the alarms? That would be fun." James rolled his eyes. "Now just wait a moment." James turned toward the building and with a sharp punch, dug his claws into the brick wall. Ash winced at the sound of bone breaking through brick, but James didn't so much as flinch. Instead, he drove his other claw into the wall in a similar fashion. Then, using his claws to support his weight, he slowly scaled the wall. Ash watched him make his way the wall in awe.

When he reached the grate, James removed one claw and twisted the latch so it would open. "They didn't even bother to bolt it in…" James laughed softly. "This is a Rocket hideout for sure." He lifted it up and slipped into the ventilation shaft. It was small and cramped, but James managed to get down on his hands and knees. With both hands, he held the grate outward horizontally. "All right Ash." James called down. "Your turn."

"Okay." Ash nodded. He took a deep breath and closed his eyes. Two vines burst free from his back and shot upwards. They wrapped around two of the grate bars and secured themselves. Ash gave a slight tug and, after ensuring the safety of the situation, placed his feet against the wall. He climbed up the side of the wall, retracting the vines into his back as he moved upwards. Once he reached the vent, he ducked inside the small opening and his vines let go of the grate. James slowly and quietly let the grate drop back down. Ash leaned his back against the metal wall and panted tiredly, trying to catch his breath.

"What?" James asked. "Don't tell me you're tired already."

"Give me a break, James. I'm part Bulbasaur; I get my energy from sunlight. Nighttime is always harder on me."

"Well get used to it." James turned around to face the dark and foreboding corridor. "I don't need you to lag behind."

"Screw you. I'm ready to go." Ash growled.

"Good." James nodded and crawled into the corridor. Ash sighed and followed after him. The cramped space became a definite hindrance after a while and Ash was starting to feel claustrophobic. Added to the fact that the metal was getting hotter as they made their way into the building, Ash was starting to doubt James' wisdom.

"Isn't this kind of cliché, James?" Ash asked after a long bout of silence. "Sneaking in through a ventilation shaft?"

"Shut it!" James hissed backwards. "Don't you think our voices are going to echo through here? Only talk if necessary!"

Ash shut his mouth. He felt foolish for not thinking about that fact himself. He silently trudged onward until James came to a halt. There were shafts of light beaming up in front of him and Ash guessed that they had reached a grating in the metal. James reached into his pockets and pulled out a folded up piece of paper. He unfolded it and checked the crude map he had drawn earlier that day. He grinned and put it away. "Looks like we're here." He whispered.

"This is the laboratory?" Ash whispered back.

"One of the side rooms actually." James said. "Can you hear the muffled voices?" Ash nodded. "They're in the next room."

"I thought everyone went home for the night."

"Everyone who works at the breeding center, yeah." James nodded. "Rockets employ scientists that work all the time."

"Wonderful." Ash muttered.

"Now try and be very quiet." James lifted the grating and slowly lowered his head into the room. There were several centrifuges and other experimentation devices, but it was devoid of people. Most importantly, the glass windows into the room were smoked so it was nearly impossible to see clearly through them. James flipped down and landed on the ground lightly.

"C'mon Ash!" He hissed. Ash grabbed onto the edges of the hole and lowered himself down so he wouldn't have to fall a great distance. He landed a little rougher than James and brushed himself off quickly.

"Now what?" Ash took a look through the window. It was hard to make anything out, but the next room seemed to be large, full of tables, racks of beakers and scientific equipment. It was also bustling with activity.

"The scientists take breaks every so often." James said. "It works that way in every facility. We just have to wait for…" He was cut off as the door into the room suddenly opened up and a scientist started to walk into the room.

"…is what I said." He was saying to someone in the main room. "Anyway, I'm just going to check on the-" He never finished his sentence. His words ended as James stepped forward and drove his claws through the man's forehead. His eyes rolled up into his head and his mouth went slack. James tipped his hand at an angle and the dead scientist slipped off the claws with a sickening slurping sound and crumpled to the ground. James looked into the crowd, who were staring at the scene in horror.

"Am I interrupting something?" James asked. The scientists all began shrieking and running around, trying to get to the nearest exit. "Oh no you don't!" James shouted and ran into the crowd, claws drawn back and ready. He reached the nearest man and slit him across the middle, a geyser of blood spurting out from the gash, staining his white lab coat. "Let's go, Ash! We can't let them leave this room alive!"

"But…they're just scientists!" Ash screamed over the commotion. "They're not even armed!"

"They're still Rockets, kid!" James yelled back and he turned around. He jumped up on top of a black table and leapt toward the nearest scientist, driving his claws into her shoulders. She screamed and fell to the ground, the force of James's body pinning her down. He withdrew his claws and quickly gave her several stabs to her lower back until she stopped squirming.

Ash bit his lip. He had been so full of resolve earlier about storming this facility, but now he was getting nervous. It was one thing to beat up on armed members of Team Rocket, but hunting down helpless people was a different matter all together. They couldn't defend themselves…how was he going to justify this?

"ASH!" James shouted angrily. Ash snapped out of it and saw James, claws imbedded in another woman's abdomen, pointing to his right. Ash pivoted in time to see a scientist running at him, a syringe in his hand. The tip of the needle leaked small clear droplets of liquid, possibly a sedative. Ash's eyes narrowed and it triggered something in his head. The back of his mind was replaying a memory of scientists and doctors approaching him with similar needles back in that abandoned hospital. It felt like he was back there, writhing in pain as the Rockets operated on him.

Something inside him snapped, and Ash dashed forward. He caught the man's wrist in his hand and twisted violently. The man screamed as he felt his bones shatter and the syringe dropped harmlessly to the ground. Ash slammed his fist hard into the man's stomach, making him double over and spit up some blood. Ash withdrew his hand and opened up his fist. A razor leaf made its way up Ash's arm and out through his wrist. Rather than fire out however, it simply tumbled down Ash's hand until he caught it between his middle and index finger. With a quick sweep, he swung the leaf around, slicing the man's throat open. Blood splatter hit Ash's face and dripped down onto his shirt. The scientist let out a pained gurgle, then died in Ash's grip. Ash let go and let the body slump to the floor.

James smiled to himself and discarded the body. _Looks like the kid is finally getting in touch with his inner animal._ He turned to the large set of double doors where the rest of the people were frantically trying to use the keypad on the wall to unlock the door. James' smile twisted into a malicious grin. Team Rocket locks the doors to keep wandering trainers out of these secret rooms and now it was keeping their own people trapped in. _Gotta love irony_.

He stood up straight as if concentrating on something. Suddenly, the tiles on the floor began to crack into small particles. They swirled around James' feet until flying through the air into the eyes of the huddled Rockets. The scientists screamed and covered their faces with their hands trying to keep the sandstorm from scratching their eyes.

"Now Ash!" James shouted over to his partner. Ash nodded and they both ran into the fracas as the whirlwind of debris ended. The Rockets started to open their eyes again, and that's when the first one squealed out in pain. The others panicked, but that just made it easier for James and Ash to move among them. James kept swinging his claws around wildly, spilling blood on the floor and causing them scientists to drop like flies. For his part, Ash was grabbing anyone he could get his hands on and smashing them into the nearby walls. Within moments, the whole group had been dispatched. James panted a few times before cleaning off his claws on his shirt. He saw Ash leaning against the wall despondently, as if staring into space.

"Nice job, Ketchum. Now let's trash this place."

Ash didn't respond at first. He kept staring at his bloodstained hands. His eyes shifted in and out of focus. He completely lost restraint, as if he just gave control of his body to someone else. He opened his mouth to speak, but his throat was dryer than a desert. He could barely get his vocal chords to work and when he finally managed to squeak out some words…

"Dead." He said simply, tripping on his on words. "They're all dead."

"Of course." James said. "Now snap out of it, dammit."

"I killed 'em."

"Don't go hogging all the credit. I killed more than you did."

"My bare hands." Ash continued mumbling. "I slit that guy's throat like it was nothing." He subconsciously reached up to his face and wiped some of the blood off his face.

"And you did a good job too." James said, irritation entering his voice. He tapped his foot on the ground repeatedly. "You understand your true potential now."

"What the hell am I becoming?" He whispered to himself.

"Ash!" James snapped him out of his funk. "We don't have long before they notice something's wrong." James pointed to one of the several security cameras around the room. "The alarm hasn't gone off, so I can assume that means someone fell asleep in the control room. But that still doesn't give us much time. Now let's do what we came here for."

"R-Right." Ash nodded and wiped his hands on his shirt. _Just stick to the task at had,_ he told himself. _Don't think about what you did. Or what you will do._

"Be careful about what you throw where." James said, picking up a beaker of pink liquid. "Don't want to cause any explosions while we're still in here." He chucked the container at the far wall and it shattered, sending glass shards to the ground. He immediately went for another glass vile of liquid. "Come on, already! We don't have all night!"

Ash went to another table and started pushing the vile racks to the floor, destroying whatever experiments they were doing. He was about to move to another table when he noticed a book standing up near the wall. He picked it up and started to read through it. _This is a list of procedures for the Hybridizing process!_ Ash's eyes widened. He flipped through the pages. _I should rip this up and burn it. That would set them back about…_Ash stopped turning the pages and focused on the page he was reading. His fingers began to tremble. _No way…no fucking way…_

"JAMES!" Ash shouted. The other man stopped in mid swing, just short of tossing a jar of red solution. He stared at Ash with annoyed eyes.

"What? What is it now?"

"This." He held the book up at James, showing him the page he was reading. "An antidote."

"A WHAT?" James asked. He ran over to him. "Are you serious?"

"It's not a complete theory, but take a look at these figures." He pointed to certain writings. "They were working on a way to reverse the damage done by the virus."

"Holy shit. How is that even possible?" James asked. "Isn't our DNA being destroyed by that virus?"

"I don't know…but this is worth looking into." Ash ripped the page out of the notebook. He read over a list of ingredients that had been started in the right hand column. "Look at some of this stuff we need. Cytosine, ligase, thymine… I don't understand any of it. You?"

"Kid, I can barely spell those things."

"Well dammit. Do you think we can find any of that stuff here?"

"With all these unmarked and unlabeled beakers? Good luck."

"FUCK!" Ash yelled loudly. "I thought we had something here!"

"All right… let's just finish up here and we can examine this later when we-" A high-pitched alarm drowned out James' words and the duo covered their ears with a wince. "I guess we've been noticed."

"Well, now what?" Ash asked. His mind was nagging him with the fact that he may have to kill more people.

"We can't leave yet." James frowned. "We haven't done nearly enough damage to this place to make this assault worth it."

"I'm more worried about the guards doing enough damage to _us_." Ash yelled over the blaring alarm while crossing his arms.

"What? Worried we won't be able to stop them?"

"I'm not eager to get shot, regardless."

"Don't be such a…" James started, but immediately flipped around when he heard the doors open. He slid his claws out of his hands again and got ready to run at the intruder, but stopped short. There was only one body in the doorway, and it definitely wasn't a guard. Instead, there was just a skinny, pale girl about Ash's age. The hospital gown she wore didn't fit her at all and the straps were slipping off her shoulders. It was also the only thing she wore, her feet bare and long purple hair gliding down to her back. What stood out the most, though, were the large pair of butterfly wings sprouting from her back and the long antenna coming out from under her hair. She stared at the other two with bulging, scared eyes.

"What the hell…" Ash whispered, stepping closer. "Another one?" James snarled and began his charge again, running at her at full speed. She shrieked and covered her head. "James!" Ash yelled and without warning, the vines burst free from his back and shot after his running partner. The vines wrapped securely around James' arms and pulled him back, ending his attack.

"What the fuck, twerp?" James yelled back at him.

"I should be asking you that, asshole!" Ash hollered back at him. "Why are you trying to shish kabob that poor girl?"

"She's one of us!" James turned back around to stare at her. She was still cowering, but looking intently at them as well. "What makes you think she's not with Team Rocket?"

"Does she look like a Rocket to you?" Ash asked.

"Doesn't matter." James huffed. "Rocket members come in all forms. Remember all those scientists we killed?" Ash cringed at the memory, but managed to hold fast to James' arms. "Now let me go right now, before I decide to change targets."

It was then that the doorway became much more cluttered. Several guards appeared as if out of nowhere, wearing black jumpsuits with red 'R's emblazoned on them and wielding large pistols. The girl cried out again, trying to back away from the group.

"Dammit!" James shouted and Ash immediately let go of him.

"Fire at will." The leader of the Rocket unit said. Each man raised his gun up. Ash's vines moved quickly and wrapped around the girl's waist. She was luckily very light and Ash's could yank her through the air over toward him. Several shots whizzed by her previous location harmlessly. Ash caught the girl in his arms, almost losing his balance from the collision. James, now running away from the guards, grabbed Ash's collar and pulled him and the girl to the floor behind one of the tables. A hail of gunfire peppered the area where they were just standing. Ash and James pressed their backs against the solid wooden cabinets under the table. The girl clung to Ash's shirt in fright.

"Any bright ideas, Ketchum?" James asked.

"Just one." Ash said. He moved away and opened the cabinet. There were several jars of multi-colored liquids. "Think any of these will do some damage?"

James grinned. "I say we find out." They each grabbed two jars, then proceeded to hurl them backwards over the table into the group of guards. There were several shouts, followed by glass shattering. Screams of pain pierced the air around them. "Now's our chance!" James rolled out from behind the table. The guards were rubbing their eyes furiously, yelling about a burning feeling. James ran up to the group as fast as he could and leapt through the air, driving his claws into the lead guard's chest. The man screamed louder than the rest and fell to the ground. The others stopped rubbing their eyes and raised their guns, but were aiming in all different directions, obviously disoriented. James got up and swung his claws around furiously, tearing through the throats and chest cavities of each guard. Ash watched him from around the corner. James was moving like a maniac, slaughtering each person mercilessly. Ash shuddered, wondering if this was the true nature of being part Pokemon. James had obviously given into his wild instincts. _Is this what I have to look forward to? _

The girl whimpered in his arms, flinching with every death scream from the guards. Ash put his arms around her to calm her down. "It's okay. He's on our side." _I hope._ "What's your name?"

"…" The girl looked away shyly.

"Hey, I'm like you. You're part Butterfree, right?" the girl nodded. "I'm part Bulbasaur. My name's Ash. Ash Ketchum."

"Amy." The girl said eventually. Another scream, another flinch.

"How long have you been here, Amy?"

"Three weeks." Amy said. "Mostly sedated."

"Three weeks?" Ash asked incredulously. He was only transformed a week and half ago at the maximum. Didn't Giovanni say he was a test subject?

"I think. Might have been longer." She shrugged. Another flinch. "I was drugged for most of it. I was able to get away when the guards watching me ran off to get armed so they could respond to the alarm. They were in a hurry and dropped the keys to my room. I overheard them mention the key code that gets into every room; that's how I could unlock the doors."

"Are you sure it was three weeks?" Ash asked. He wanted to say more, but he suddenly noticed how quiet it got. All the screaming had ended. He looked back around the corner and watched James walk back toward them. He was almost covered from head to toe in blood. He walked over and retracted his claws. He ran a bloody hand through his hair and stared at the girl.

"So just who the hell are you?" He asked.

"I…I…"

"Her name's Amy." Ash covered for her. "They have been holding her captive for a few weeks now."

"Well, what do we do with her?" James asked. "We can't leave her and we can't take her with us."

"Sure we could." Ash said.

"Too much dead weight." James sighed. "I think we should stick with my original idea." Amy squeaked in fright.

"We're not going to kill her, James." Ash glared at him. _How can he speak like that while she's right here? _

"What else can we do with her?" He asked. "We can't have another one of us running around like-"

"Look out!" The girl screamed, pointing back toward the door. Ash and James quickly turned around, striking battle poses. But the doorway was empty, except for a pile of mutilated bodies. The boys turned back toward Amy, but wound up staring into a purple, glittering cloud. James shouted and thrashed around wildly, trying to get the smoke cloud of his face, but it continued to hover in the air. He eventually scooted out of the cloud, dragging Ash with him, but it was too late. He could feel his brain starting to shut down. His eyes grew heavy and he eventually collapsed to the ground.

"James?" Ash asked, uncertain. He let out a long yawn, trying his best to keep his eyes open. He turned back to Amy, who was staring at him from behind the purple cloud with apologetic eyes. "What did you do?" He asked sleepily, then collapsed onto the ground, his world going black.

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Ash returned to consciousness as hand roughly shook his shoulders. Ash's opened his eyes slowly and took a look around. Everything was as it was, except Amy was nowhere to be seen. "What happened?"

"She played us like a couple of idiots." James growled. "Which, might I add, is entirely your fault."

"How did she…" It suddenly came to him. "Sleep Powder."

"Yeah. And she robbed me blind." James frowned. "All my money is missing." Ash quickly put his hands in his pockets. His pulled his wallet out and checked the contents.

"My money is still here." He said.

"Well, she was playing favorites then, huh?" James gritted his teeth. "Damn bitch."

"How long where we out?" Ash asked, getting up.

"Not long." James said. "No one else has tried to get in here, apparently, and the alarm has stopped. But we just got lucky, we need to get out of here while we can."

"What about the lab?" Ash asked.

"The lab won't be around much longer." James said simply. "While you were asleep, I rigged something up." He pointed over to a machine in the corner of the room. It appeared to be an incubation machine of some sort. "This little gem here heats up whatever's inside it for however long the timer is set for." He pointed to the glass window and Ash took a look inside it. There were three open jars filled with a clear liquid. "I may not know much about chemicals, but I do know that Diethyl ether is very volatile. Once it's exposed to oxygen, the ether will accumulate in the air. The slightest spark or even static discharge will cause the vapors to ignite explosively. And when this baby gets hot enough, the glass jars should shatter and voila: the lab will be wiped out."

"Not very subtle, but it works." Ash nodded. "How much time will we have to get out?"

"I don't know, but we should be safe from the initial blast once we get out of the room. I don't know how the rest of the building will react to the tremors though."

"How do you plan to get out of here? The way we came?"

"I wouldn't trust those vents if this thing went off while we were in there." James said. "Our best bet is to go out the front door." He pointed to the door that had the group of guards piled up in front of it. Ash nodded and verified that he had the notebook sheet with the antidote formulas on it. James walked over to the incubation machine and set the time for 60 minutes. Then he hit start and the machine started to hum.

"That's it. Let's go." James turned and the duo hurried over to the exit and after stepping over the bloody bodies, opened the door to the hallway. They were immediately greeted by four Rocket grunts, pistols raised and ready.

"Fuck!" Ash exclaimed and grabbed James by the shirt. He pulled him back into the room as several bullets whizzed by and embedded themselves in the far wall. Ash and James moved to opposite sides of the doorway, pressing up against the walls.

"Dammit! How long have they been waiting for us?" James asked.

"Never mind that! How are we going to deal with it?" Ash asked.

"Wait one moment." James said, raising his fist in the air. His claw started to glow a dull red. "I'm going to make us a trench."

"No!" Ash hissed. "No earthquake!" He pointed over toward the incubation machine. "Did you forget that we're in a room with three volatile explosives?" The machine was humming rather loudly and the glass was beginning to glow an orange color.

"Shit! If they start firing into the room, they might hit the machine!" James cursed.

"I don't want to be in this room when it goes off." Ash added. James nodded and looked around, trying to get some ideas. He seemed to get one and reached down to grab a body. He chucked it out the doorway. There were several gunshots and shouts of surprise.

"Now! Ash, run behind a table!" James yelled at Ash as he dug his claws into the wall. Ash watched him begin to scale toward the ceiling, then turned and ran toward the nearest table.

"There they go!" The lead Rocket exclaimed! "After them!" The other grunts rushed into the room, firing at Ash's retreating body. Several bullets whizzed by Ash's body as he ran. He felt one bit of searing metal graze his shoulder, cutting his shirt and leaving a long burn mark across his skin. Ash grunted and dove behind the table, hoping to avoid the other bullets.

"Surround him!" The leader yelled. "We have him where we want him!" All the other rockets hurried into the room, trying to surround Ash's table. James watched them from his perch above the doorway, his claws firmly dug into the ceiling of the room. He waited until all the other Rockets were in the room before releasing his grip on the ceiling. He dropped down onto the last man's shoulders, driving his claws into the soft fleshy areas between the shoulder blades. The man screamed loudly, dropping his pistol to the floor and crumpling under the force of James's weight. The other grunts whipped around in surprise as James removed his claws from the man, a small fountain of blood erupting from the wounds. James dashed forward quicker than the men could react and drove his claws into the gut of the nearest Rocket. Blood oozed out of his stomach and he coughed abruptly. James slashed upward sharply, cutting two long gashes through his abdomen. Several of his organs started to pour out through the gaping wounds. The man's eyes rolled back and he faded from life. James turned the man around and held the body against him like a shield. The sight of their mutilated partner shocked the two remaining Rockets, but they recovered quickly and began to fire at the corpse, hoping to hit the freak behind it. Several bullets shot through into the light body armor under the black jumpsuit, lodging themselves inside the body.

"A little help here?" James yelled out loud. Another bullet blasted through the man's face, splitting it like a ripe melon, and grazed James' cheek. Another shot managed to make it's way through the man's shoulder and embedded itself in James' left arm. James swore loudly and grabbed his would with one hand. It stained his palm red.

Ash glanced up from his hiding spot quickly, judging the distance to the nearest Rocket. An idea sprung into his mind, and before he knew what he was doing, Ash leapt over the tabletop and grabbed the back of the leader's neck. The man shouted in surprise, but was cut short with a bubbling noise as three razor leaves shot through his throat and protruded out of the front of his neck. He gurgled a few last words, and then fell to the ground, blood and bits of cartilage trickling down his neck. Ash stared on in horror, as if he was unable to control himself. The droplets of red, sticky liquid on his hand oozed down onto his wrist.

The final Rocket stared back and forth at the two hybrids in terror, before throwing down his gun. "I surrender!" He yelled to Ash. "Don't hurt me! I sur-" His final words with a shriek as his two bone claws tore through his spinal cord, causing him to collapse to the ground.

"Good riddance, son of a bitch." James growled and spat on the body. His right hand was still clutched to his arm.

"He gave up, James." Ash said simply, his mind still reeling.

"He _shot_ me." James retorted. "Besides, feigning surrender is a tactic I learned day 1 of being a member of Team Rocket."

"Are…are you hurt?" Ash asked, seeing the blood-stained are of his shirt around his hand.

"My body will push the bullet out naturally." James said. "Let's just go!" He turned and ran out of the room, carefully stepping over the bodies. Ash followed closely behind him. As he reached the doorway, he heard a groan from behind him. He turned to see the man James had originally dropped down on trying to move around. He was too weak from losing so much blood.

"Help…help me…please…" He pleaded, each word sounding as painful as a broken bone. Ash hesitated for a second, but the ensuing silence allowed him to make out a distinct crackling noise coming from the machine. It sounded like glass starting to crack. Ash cringed before looking back at the man. With a sad look, Ash turned and ran out the door, trying to catch up to his injured partner. The Rocket groaned and turned toward the glowing machine. He watched the bright light begin to glow a little more and heard several more cracking sounds. He bit his lip and closed his eyes.

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"Wait! Wait, James!" Ash shouted. He had run down several long repetitive and similarly decorated hallways, trying to follow the man's footsteps. James didn't turn around, but slowed down slightly. Ash managed to catch up with him as they ran through another long hall. "How do you know the way out?"

"I'm guessing." James responded angrily, clutching at the wound on his arm tightly.

"Guessing?" Ash asked weakly.

"And I guessed right." James pointed toward the doors ahead of them with his good hand. A sign on the wall had a red arrow and read: "lobby".

"Thank God!" Ash ran ahead and opened the double doors. The adjacent room looked like a waiting room and held the front desk, some chairs, and most importantly, the front door. "We're home free!"

Suddenly, the building shook with a tremor followed by a loud bang. Ash and James tumbled to the ground, Ash landing on his back and James on his right arm. Several pictures and other decorations fell from the lobby walls, crashing to the ground. James swore and struggled to his feet. Ash quickly righted himself and helped James up.

"Someone was bound to hear that." The man said. "We don't have a lot of time." He pushed Ash away and ran out the front door, kicking anything that got in his way. Ash ran after him and as the duo left the building, a high-pitched burglar alarm went off.

"Well, if the Rockets didn't already know what happened, they do now." Ash noted. "I hope we did enough damage to set them back."

"I'm sure we did." James said. "The entire mansion is surrounded with forest areas. We can sneak out through there so we don't run into anyone."

"Sounds good to me." Ash looked back over his shoulder as they left the parking lot and descended the grassy hill that led into the woods. "I hope the police get wind of this."

"I don't doubt they will." James said. He pulled his hand away from his wound. It had closed up completely and the bullet was lying in his hand. James chucked it into the foliage. "Which means we better get far away quick. Team Rocket or not, we're murderers now. If there wasn't a price on our heads before, there surely is one now."

Ash faltered for a second. The blood was still fresh on his hands and face and the pained faces of those he killed were deeply burned into his thoughts. He was hoping James wouldn't spell it out like that for him. He quickly tried to rationalize it and ease his guilty conscience. _It was self-defense._ Ash told himself. _They were evil._ _It was necessary._ But in the deepest recesses of his mind, Ash knew otherwise. _It was murder._

Ash cleared his throat and spoke up. "First I think we should stop by a pay phone."

"A pay phone?" James asked. "What the hell for?"

"I have an idea." He said.

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"Giovanni?" A Rocket grunt asked timidly as he opened the door to the large darkened room where Giovanni sat at his deck, slowly smoking on of his cigars. The man looked up at the subordinate, who was trembling in the shaft of light from the hallway. The man curled his lips up in what could only be considered a smile through definition.

"What is it? It's late."

"I know sir. But this is important." He cleared his throat and walked up to the boss's desk, placing a manila folder on the mahogany wood. "A report just came from the Garnet City laboratory in the Breeding Center."

"And what's so important about this report?"

"There was…an incident, sir." He said carefully. Giovanni sighed and picked up the folder. He opened it up and began to read the document. A malicious grin spread across his face slowly as he read.

"Well, well, well. How interesting." He chuckled to himself. "How very interesting indeed." He put the folder down and interlaced his fingers. He looked down at the grunt. "Go send a message to Captain Klaus. Tell him I'd like to meet him immediately." The man saluted and hurried out of the room. Giovanni leaned back in his chair and puffed on his cigar. Things had certainly taken a different turn. Not unwelcome, but definitely interesting.

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James leaned against the brick wall of the pokecenter, glancing around nervously. The streets were empty, but he still felt nervously. A pond in the woods had allowed Ash and him to wash the blood off their skin and clothes, but there were still stains and they still stood out like sore thumbs. He stared at the boy, who was standing in the phone booth, chatting endlessly.

"Are you sure?" Ash asked, talking into the phone. "Thanks, I owe you big time. All right, meet us in Port Sapphire. Okay, you too. Bye." He hung up and left the phone booth.

"Well?" James asked.

"He'll do it." Ash sighed breath of relief.

"I still think this is a bad idea." James growled.

"Look, we have a major clue here." Ash pulled the sheet of paper out of his pocket. "I can't decipher this shit, and neither can you. He might be able to work with this."

"And what's too keep him from turning on us, huh? Team Rocket or the police will probably be able to offer him a price he can't refuse for turning us in."

"I know this guy, okay. Bill wouldn't do that. Besides, he's studied Pokemon all his life; it's his obsession. He wouldn't pass this up for all the money in the world. Plus, he knows more about Pokemon genetics than anyone."

"I'm still going to watch my back." James said.

"Fair enough." Ash said. "I told him we'll meet him in Port Sapphire. And then we can scope out this next lead of yours."

"We'll need a change of clothes." James commented.

"We can find some." Ash said. He reached into his pocket and pulled out the photograph of himself, Misty and Brock. It had gotten crinkled after the day's events, but the picture was still clear. He sighed deeply.

"Fonder memories?" James asked. Ash looked up at him.

"I don't want to forget them." Ash replied simply.

"I don't blame you." James sighed. "But you will. Soon, you'll forget everything." Ash grimaced and his fist tightened around the picture. He wasn't going to forget his friends. Never.

He only wished he could forget about what he did today.

**End of Second Iteration.**

* * *

And this brings about the end of another Iteration of the story. I hope you enjoyed the action and story progression in this chapter. I also hope it explains and clarifies the changes to James' character. I assure it was intentional.

Anyway, for those who want to know the game logistics behind the story:

Ash's move list: Vine Whip, Razor Leaf, Leech Seed

James' move list: Slash, Sandstorm, Earthquake, Swift

Amy's move list: Sleep Powder

Thanks for reading! Please review and I will try and update the beginning of the Third Iteration soon!

- TE


	6. Tribulation

Intro: Hello everyone! Sorry this chapter took so long. There's lots of dialogue and I had a hard time getting it right. Once again, I do not own Pokemon or it's characters. Now read on and enjoy!

**Hybrids: Third Iteration**

**Strand 1: Tribulation**

The bright morning sun was suspended just above the horizon, signaling the start of another day. Pidgeottos were singing from the treetops and Butterfrees hovered in the air above the grassy fields outside Garnet City. One of the last buildings before the city became grasslands was a small diner that had a small neon Dratini positioned over the doorway. It lit up at night, but remained dark while the sun was up.

The sunbeams hit the windows of the diner and refracted in multiple directions. Much to his chagrin, one such beam of light was aimed directly into Brock's eyes. He groaned and attempted to shift left and right in his chair, but to no avail. He eventually just covered his eyes with his hand and felt around until he got his fingers around his cup of coffee. He lifted it to his mouth and took a slow sip.

"All right, I have it narrowed down to two places." Misty spoke up from across the table. She had a map of the Violet Isle region spread out in front of her and she was eagerly tracing paths with her finger. "Either Ash went southeast and is in Port Sapphire or he took the north path and is headed to Deepridge Mountain. That's where Topaz Town is located."

"Uh-huh." Brock said, setting his mug down on the wooden table. "And what makes you think he's not here in Garnet City anymore?"

"You could call it a hunch." Misty said. "I just…feel that he's gone somewhere else."

"Just another hunch, huh?" Brock asked, and then bit his tongue. That came out harsher than he intended. He was never at his sharpest in the morning.

"You think I'm crazy, don't you?" Misty's eyes narrowed at her friend. Brock held his hand out.

"No! But I do believe you're not thinking clearly. Misty, you haven't slept in days and you rarely eat." He looked her up and down. She had steel determination in her eyes, but her body was beginning to show signs of wear. Her eyes had bags under them and she was looking even thinner than usual to an almost unhealthy extent. "I just think you need to rest and get your bearings straight."

"How?" Misty asked, throwing her hands up. "How am I supposed to relax while Ash is out there suffering?"

"If you let yourself get too tired, you're going to start making foolish mistakes and bad choices." Brock crossed his arms. "You're no help to Ash if you can't think straight."

Misty closed her mouth and looked down at her pancakes. Brock sighed and took another sip of coffee. He didn't like hurting the girl like that, but it had to be said. He couldn't just let her tear herself apart. In his last words to Ash, he had promised to keep Misty safe, and he was going to do just that. He owed his friend that much at least.

"I'm just so worried about him…" Misty said softly, still staring at her breakfast. "Who knows what he's going through right now? It's been almost a week and a half now."

"Ash is strong." Brock reassured her. "If anyone can deal with this, it's him."

"…What if he's forgotten about us?" _What if he's forgotten about me?_

"I don't think he has." Brock lied. "I'm sure he's trying his hardest to keep us in his memories."

"I can't take this!" Misty cried out. She gripped the sides of her head and shut her eyes tightly. Teardrops ran down her cheek before dropping off into the sea of syrup on her plate. "He PROMISED me, Brock! The last thing he said to me was that we would be together again soon! How could he lie like that?" She continued to cry pulling on her red hair. "…he _promised_…"

Brock quickly got up out of his seat and walked around the table. This wasn't the first time Misty has broken down in the last week and he was sure it wouldn't be the last. He put his hands on her shoulders leaned over so his mouth was near her ear. "He's not doing this to hurt you, Misty."

"I know…" She said, her voice weak. "I feel awful blaming him. I just miss him so much." Brock's hands slipped down off her shoulders and embraced her in a hug. She leaned back and put her head against Brock's chest. "Brock? What if Ash…what if he is…" She couldn't get the words out. She didn't really want to ask the question and she wasn't sure she wanted to know the answer.

"Don't think like that." Brock said. He wanted to tell her that Ash was okay, but she would know he didn't believe it. "You just have to keep hoping he's okay, and he will be."

"But what if he's in trouble?" She asked, he voice barely above a whisper.

"Ash is a smart kid. Maybe not book-smart, but definitely survival-smart. He knows not to get in over his head."

There was a sudden loud noise from the television set that hung from the ceiling in the corner of the diner. Misty looked up at the TV to see someone turning up the volume knob.

"Hey! We're trying to eat here!" Someone shouted out.

"Shut your traps!" The man with the knob exclaimed. "It's a special report on the explosion two days ago!" Everyone in the diner grew quiet and glued their eyes to the TV screen. A female news anchor was sitting behind a desk, talking to the camera. A graphic next to her head showed silhouettes of a person and a Pikachu against an orange background.

"Shocking new developments in the mysterious explosion that happened at the Garnet City breeding center Thursday." The woman was saying. "Police have revealed this morning that the breeding center was actually a front for a Team Rocket operation. The explosion was triggered by a chemical reaction in one of several hidden laboratories. Three key owners of the center were arrested last night with several other arrests undergoing investigation." There were several gasps from the diner patrons and a few people shook their heads in astonishment.

"However, this incident has revealed something even more shocking. According to head of police Officer Jenny Junsa, the explosion was not an accident, but a planned attack against Team Rocket. An attack that was perpetrated by two young men who seem to have reason for striking out: revenge."

Brock sat straight up and stared at the television. He noticed that Misty was now at full attention as well, leaning forward in her chair and gripping the table. "The grainy quality of the video has made it difficult for police to denote what is going on, but several conclusion have been made. While the first man, seen here, has yet to be identified, the second man has: renowned Pokemon trainer Ash Ketchum." Misty let out a squeak as the screen shifted to show a photo of Ash facing off against Lance one year ago, when he returned to beat the Elite Four. Some of the patrons turned to look at her before turning back to the TV. Brock's mouth was agape and he couldn't speak. There weren't words to describe what he was thinking.

"Ash Ketchum is best known for winning the Kanto Pokemon League last year and being the only winner ever to turn down the potion of League Master in favor of continuing his journey. Why Ketchum was part of this radical attack was unknown until just recently, when news from Opal Town came to our attention." The video shifted again, this time to a recorded interview with Officer Jenny.

"Ash Ketchum has recently fallen victim to a Team Rocket plot that resulted in a genetic mutation. He has become part Pokemon." She said, brushing the hair from her eyes. The diner erupted in gasps and whispers. "He was hospitalized eleven days ago, but escaped from the hospital a few days later." Jenny continued. "There are currently several search teams trying to locate him." The man by the TV tried to hush the crowd as the camera returned to the reporter.

"Rumors of half-Pokemon hybrids have been numerous of late, but this is the first documented and police-supported case ever. The true extent of these mutations cannot be fully grasped without seeing it firsthand. The following video does just that, but be warned that the material it shows is quite graphic." The TV suddenly switched to security camera video, showing the mysterious figure tearing through several scientists with his claws while Ash slit the throat of another. Misty gasped and covered her mouth with her hand. The grainy footage didn't allow for much detail, but it was clear what was happening.

"The total body count has not been released, but it is guessed that at least twenty Rocket bodies have been counted among the rubble of the caved-in lab." The reporter shuffled some papers around. "Although all casualties of the attack were members of Team Rocket, the reception to these hybrids has not been that of thanks, but of worry." The screen flashed to show an interview with a woman holding her children close to her. She had a look of disdain on her face.

"I want to know why the police aren't hunting these creatures down!" She exclaimed. "People who are part Pokemon? It doesn't take a genius to see what a problem this is! What if there was a Charmander hybrid who could burn down the doors to my house? Or a Jigglypuff hybrid who could put us to sleep and kidnap our children?" She shuddered visibly and held her children tighter to her. "I don't want these dangerous…things on my streets!"

Brock glanced sidelong at Misty, who was now shaking and clutching the table so hard her knuckles were turning white. He teeth were gritted and her eyes were focused so hard on the TV, he thought she was going to burn a hole right through the screen. The picture changed to show a man in a business suit. His face was red and he was going off on a tirade.

"So what if the victims were Team Rocket members? How do we even know they didn't just show up to attack the breeding center and got lucky? What they did was murder and what's to stop them for going after us when they're done with the Rockets? I don't feel safe at night!" Again the screen switched, this time to show the Mayor of the Violet Islands region in front of a podium addressing a crowd of reporters.

"I understand the severity of the issue and I assure the citizens of the Violet Islands that the police are doing everything they can to bring these men to justice so they cannot cause any more harm." Several camera flashes went off. "I am initiating a zero-tolerance policy against these hybrids and anyone who knows of their location should notify the authorities immediately. Anyone revealed to be harboring or aiding these men will be considered enemies of the nation. I want everyone to know that this menace will be dealt with immediately!"

"Menace!?" Misty shouted. Everyone turned to look at Misty. Brock grabbed the girl's arm and forced her to sit down. She went along with his grasp reluctantly, still glaring at the television as it turned back to the reporter in the studio.

"The Mayor has also announced that the Violet Islands will be receiving aid from the nearby Kanto continent in the form of the entire Pokemon League. We were able to get in touch with the current Pokemon Master Gary Oak over videophone and this is what he had to say." The video switched over to show a videophone conference with Gary Oak, dressed in his official Pokemon Master garb.

"Upon receiving the news of hybrids running loose, I realized that it was the duty of the most elite Pokemon trainers in the world to help the Violet Islands in capturing the offenders. When I heard that my childhood friend Ash Ketchum was among them, it only served to deepen my resolve. As the person who most closely matched his skill, I believe it is my personal duty to stop him from being a danger to others and himself."

"Bullshit!" Misty hissed. "Where the hell does he get off talking like that?"

"People are urged to stay inside at night and not go out alone." The reporter was saying as the camera returned to her. "Ketchum and his partner are considered highly dangerous and volatile. We will keep you updated on new developments in this story as it progresses." She shuffled some more papers as the graphic behind her changed. "In other news, the two trainers involved in a Vileplume accident have woken today with minor injuries…"

Misty was seething and her clenched fists were shaking uncontrollably. She was gnashing her teeth down so hard Brock could almost hear it. He reached out and put his hand on hers. "Misty…"

"They…They…" She stuttered, her voice unsteady.

"I know what this must look like, but-"

"They're going to hunt him down! They're going to kill him!" She practically screamed. "Oh God!"

"Misty!" Brock hissed. It was harsh enough to knock her sense back into her. "Get a grip, _please_!" She looked around at how the way the diner patrons were staring at her. Several were whispering among themselves and pointing. She gulped and stared down at her breakfast. "You want to help Ash? Then you have to keep this on the down-low."

"…" Misty opened her mouth, but no words came out. Instead, she simply nodded.

"Now look. Let's finish our meal and get going, okay? We've attracted a lot of attention and none of it looks very good."

"Okay." Misty managed to say with a quaver. She ate a few more bites of her pancakes, but she could hardly get it down. "I can't eat any more." She said quietly.

"All right." Brock said. He drained the rest of his mug and raised his arm in the air. "Check please." The waitress hurried over and dropped off the bill, giving them a look that said they should leave as soon as the paid. Brock reached into his pockets, pulled out some cash and placed it on the table. "Keep the change." He said and stood up. Misty followed suit, pushing her plate to the middle of the table. The waitress gave them a forced smile and disappeared with the money behind a swinging door. Brock headed to the door with Misty behind him. He came to a halt before he reached the door as Misty said his name.

"Brock?"

"Yeah? What is it?"

"Do you mind if I stop in the bathroom for a second? I want to…wash up." She brushed some tears from the corner of her eyes.

"Uh…yeah." Brock nodded. "Sure. Just don't be too long." Misty nodded and hurried into the nearby ladies room. Brock sighed and stuck his hands in his pockets. He stepped outside and stood in the sunbeams for a while. The warmth helped ease his achy joints from long days and longer nights of journeying.

Out of the corner of his eyes, he noticed a pay videophone booth. He got an idea and walked over to it. He picked up the receiver and fished a few coins and a sticky note out of his pockets. He inserted the correct amount, then looked down at a small note card. Dialing the number sloppily written down, he waited for an answer. After a few rings, the video turned on, revealing a very disheveled and broken down Delia Ketchum.

"H-hello?" She asked, rubbing her eyes. "Brock?"

"Hi Mrs. Ketchum." Brock said, waving. Delia smiled softly, but only for a second. "How are you holding up?"

"Better." She said, letting her voice relay that she wasn't telling the truth. "I've had a lot of time to come to terms with…everything."

"Sorry we had to leave so quickly. Misty is so adamant about…well, you know."

"I understand. Doctor Conway has been very supportive to me."

"Are hotel accommodations treating you well?" He asked.

"Yes." She nodded. "How about you? Have you two…found anything yet? I haven't heard any news."

"Uh…" Brock contemplated telling her about the report just a few minutes ago, but decided against it. "Not yet. Misty's got a good feeling about where he might be though."

"Oh." She said sadly. "Well, I…I appreciate what you are doing. Please tell Misty that when you see her next."

"I'm sure she knows."

"My son was…was lucky to have such…loyal…friends…" Delia started to choke up and her words got slurred. "I'm sorry Brock, I have to go." She said, breaking down.

"I understand, Mrs. Ketchum." Brock responded softly. The feed went dead and Brock was left there holding a cold receiver and staring at a black screen. He sighed and hung up.

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Misty stood in the bathroom, her hands on the edge of the sink. Her eyes were focused on the mirror, concentrating on her reflection, yet staring past it. The water was running from the faucet, but she didn't care. Her mind was so far elsewhere she didn't even hear it.

She raised her hand slowly and ran her fingertips against the cold surface of the mirror. Absent-mindedly, she reached up and undid the hair tie that kept her pigtail up. Her red hair cascaded down the back of her neck and in front of her eyes. She stared through the red strands, her eyes never leaving the mirror image of herself. Her vision got blurry and the colors around her started to bleed and fade away.

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"Misty!" Came a familiar voice from behind her. "Hey Misty!"

Misty sat up straight, taking her eyes off her reflection in the pond to turn around and see her friend come running up over the hill behind her. "Ash?" The young man hurried over to her before collapsing onto the grass. He panted weakly, taking his hat off and fanning himself with it. "You're late." Misty said finitely.

"I know. I'm sorry." Ash said. "The press conference lasted forever." He leaned over and splashed some water on his face from the pond.

"Well, you are, or should I say were, the newest League Master. That's pretty big news since you're just a kid from Pallet Town."

"Hey!" Ash put his hat back on. "What's that supposed to mean?"

"I mean, who honestly expected that of every trainer out there, _you_ would beat the Elite Four and Gary?" She stuck her tongue out teasingly.

"You did." Ash said, putting his hand on his hips. Misty's tongue disappeared into her mouth and she blushed slightly. "You told me yourself."

"Well, you did deserve it." Misty said, looking away. She pretended to be interested in the scenery. "Pallet Town does have some nice, quiet places." She said after a while. "It's beautiful out here in the sunny fields. So much nicer than Cerulean City."

"What's gotten into you?" Ash asked.

"I just missed this. Traveling with you and Brock and only having to worry about what you would do the next day. No real responsibilities. Just freedom and friends to spend the day with." She sighed. "Spending a few years cooped up in my gym has really made me realize that. You know, when I read your letters from the Hoenn and Shinou regions, I got really jealous of the other girls your traveled with."

"Reeeeeeally." Ash said, drawing the vowel sound out while waggling his eyebrows up and down. Misty drew back and punched Ash in the arm. The boy yelped and tipped over.

"Not like that, you idiot!" She yelled. "I just meant going on journeys with you." She straightened up and waited for Ash to get back up. "You are getting too full of yourself these days. Even more than usual."

"Well, I am the new League Master. That's gotta count for something."

"Were. You gave the position up to Gary, remember?"

"I still beat him, fair and square. He knows it, I know it, and the whole world knows it." He smiled. "The title is just icing on the cake compared to that."

"Why did you give it up, Ash?" Misty asked.

"What do you mean?"

"Isn't that what you always wanted? To be a Pokemon Master? Why give up that up to your rival, of all people?"

"Being a Pokemon Master is more than just a title." Ash shrugged. "It's about being the best in my field. I'm not quite there yet. Not until I've ventured across the whole world and captured every pokemon." He picked at some grass blades. "Besides, all that responsibility of being League Master wouldn't suit me anyway. I don't have a schedule; I just let things flow."

"So what are you going to do now?" She asked. Worry was dancing on her mind. She had invited him down here for a specific reason and she was beginning to fear what his answer might be.

"I dunno. Rest up at home until I hear some news about a new tournament or a League I haven't joined yet. Winning the Kanto League has given me quite a bit of money saved up." He leaned back onto the grass. "How about you? Thinking about going back to your gym?"

"Hell no." Misty shook her head. "Now that my protégé has taken over, I officially resigned from the position of gym leader. I don't want to do that to myself again. I was born to be free."

"So what are you going to do then?" He asked.

"Well…" She played with the seams of her shorts. "I was kinda thinking…I could stick around with you, at least for a while. If it's okay with you, of course."

"Are you kidding?" Ash grinned. "That would be great! I know mom wouldn't mind if you stayed and now that Brock has taken a trip back to see his family, I could use the company. Besides, I missed having you around."

"Really?" She asked.

"Yeah, except for the whining and random assault." Ash grinned. Misty's face went red and she pouted angrily. She wanted to punch Ash again, but she realized that would just prove his point. She huffed and crossed her arms.

"That's not funny."

"Ah, come on." Ash laughed. Suddenly, he sat up. "You know what, Misty? We should travel together forever."

"What?" Misty asked, turning toward him quickly.

"Yeah! I mean, we both want to live a free life of traveling, right? And we both want to stick together, right?" Misty nodded. "Well, we that's what we should do. Let's make a promise: You and me. We'll travel side-by-side forever. Or at least until we can't travel anymore."

"You mean that, Ash?"

"Of course!"

"Fine then, I accept your promise." Misty was smiling from ear to ear. "Best friends forever."

"Yup! Now we won't have to split up anymore." Ash smiled back and stuck his hand out. Misty took his hand in hers and shook it. Her gaze focused on his brown eyes and his brilliant smile. She felt a warmth flow through her, like a calm that she had been missing for years.

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"Misty?" Brock's voice came to her ears from behind the bathroom door. He knocked twice. "Are you okay in there?" Misty sighed and tried hard to keep Ash's smile in her mind. She didn't want to lose it and was all that was going to keep her going today.

"Yeah Brock. I'm coming." She splashed some water on her face, put her hair back up, and then left the bathroom. Brock was waiting for her, his arms crossed. She knew he was wondering what she was doing, but she kept quiet and slowly walked out of the diner. Every patron watched them leave.

"So where to?" Brock asked, following her outside.

"Topaz Town." Misty pointed to a looming mountain in the distance. "And from there…I just don't know."

"We'll deal with that when we get there." Brock said. "Topaz Town it is."

To be Continued….

* * *

Outro: Hope you liked that chapter. I like taking breaks from the main storyline and focusing on those left behind. It adds a new perspective on the events of the Second Iteration. We return to Ash and James in the next Strand, so check back in soon to see what happens to them in Port Sapphire. Things are going to heat up, I promise!

- T.E.


	7. Frustration

**Intro:** Hello again. Another large chapter coming your way. So go make yourself a sandwich and get a soda or something and settle in with the story. I hope you enjoy it! As per the usual, I do not own Pokemon or it's characters.

**Hybrids: Third Iteration**

**Strand 2: Frustration**

The cool lake water that surrounded Ash's body felt comforting against his sun-baked skin. He sighed and floated lazily on his back, soaking up the moment to relax. Closing his eyes, he could almost imagine that he was the only one around. His friends were back at the campsite, of course, but they didn't want to come to the lake. Fine enough for him; that means he didn't have to wear his bathing suit.

A slight splashing sound from the shoreline caused Ash to right himself and stare ahead. There were some water ripples, but nothing else. It was then that Ash noticed something else by his clothes on the rocks. Namely, another set of clothing. He squinted to try and make out whose clothes they were, but it wasn't necessary. A second later, a girl's head surfaced from underwater right next to him. She had red hair that floated alongside her and a shy grin.

"Hey Ash." Misty said with a giggle. Ash blushed and momentarily considered covering himself with his hands. He couldn't make out more than a dim outline of her body through the cloudy water, but from underwater, she could probably have seen more then enough of him. He wondered how she managed to get underwater and swim close to him so quickly, but chalked it up to her time in the Cerulean Gym.

"Errr…hey, Mist." Ash said, his voice unsteady. "What are you doing…here?"

"It was getting hot by the campsite, so I decided to come down for a dip." She treaded the water lightly, managing to keep everything below her neck submerged. "I'm not intruding on anything, am I?"

"No…" Ash said slowly. This was a situation he never quite imagined he'd get into, and thusly, had very few remarks.

"Good. I'd hate to think I was making you…uncomfortable." She smiled. There was something about the way she said that that made Ash wonder what she was getting at. "So I was surprised to see your clothes in a pile by the shore." Misty continued. "Do you skinny-dip often, Ash?" The mischievous smile never left her face.

"Only when I think I'm alone." Ash responded, his mind still trying to catch up with the events that were unfolding in front of him.

"I never thought you'd be the kind of guy who would do that." Misty said. "You always seemed a little reserved. At first I though about taking your clothes back to the camp so you'd have to stay in the lake all day or come back naked." She laughed lightly and Ash blushed harder. "But then I had a better idea. I thought I'd come out and greet you. That way I wouldn't have to wait to see you." She dipped underwater for a moment, and then returned, her hair drooping down in front of her face. "And I'm very glad I did."

"Misty? Why are you doing this?" Ash asked. Her actions not only confused him, they completely blew his mind. "Are you just trying to embarrass me or…"

"Embarrass you?" Misty asked. "Why would you think that?" She inched closer to him. "Ash, if I wanted to embarrass you, I could have done it a hundred other ways. Besides, why would I go through all the trouble if I'm the only one around to see it?" She reached out and put her hand against his bare chest. Ash shivered from the contact. "I'm doing this, Ash Ketchum, because I am tired of beating around the bush. I'm tired of spending my days lusting after you and never getting to do anything about it."

"Wait…lusting?" Ash asked quietly. His brain once again fell several steps behind the conversation.

"I want you, Ash." Misty continued. "Plain and simple." She found some solid ground and stood up. Like Ash, the water level was now at her torso, and her bare chest was now out in the open. Ash felt his gaze being drawn down like his head was on a winch. His eyes widened and his mouth suddenly felt very dry. He took in every detail, even the small clusters of freckles. "If you feel the same way about me, then take me in your arms, right now."

Not even a raging Gyrados could stop him at that point. He stepped forward and curled one arm around her body, drawing her close to him. Misty let out a purr in approval and pushed her lips against his. He desperately pressed her body to his own, savoring the touch of her soft skin against him. Her right leg entwined with his left as her hands started to roam against his back. She broke away from the kiss momentarily for air and Ash took advantage of the moment to move onto the side of neck. She giggled as Ash began to kiss her, and then switched to frenzied gasps. Ash soaked in the assault on his senses. Her skin felt like silk against his lips. Her noises were like symphonic music to his ears. Her hair smelled like…smelled like…

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Ash opened his eyes suddenly. The warm water from the shower pounded down on his back as reality shifted back into focus. He frowned in anger. He couldn't remember what her hair smelled like. He could have made something up, of course, but the mere fact he forgot something he dwelled on so often shocked him back to Earth and completely ruined his daydream. _Dammit._ Ash thought. _So much for that fantasy._ He looked down, groaned, and switched the faucet to cold water. After a few minutes, he shut the shower off completely and stepped out into the hotel bathroom. The mirror by the sink was fogged up and Ash wiped away the condensation with his hand. He stared at his green reflection and sighed. He still couldn't get used to looking at himself. The green pigment had gotten visibly darker in the last few days and he could notice some new blue patches on his skin. He was regressing even further and it scared him.

Suddenly, a queasy feeling washed over him. He felt his stomach churning and quickly moved to the toilet. He dropped to his knees while lifting the porcelain seat. He placed his head over the bowl and proceeded to vomit violently. His retching continued for several moments until the contents of his stomach were completely ejected. He wiped his mouth with his sleeve and shakily got to his feet. He flushed the mess down the tubes before moving back to the sink. He cleaned himself off and splashed some cold water on his face. He threw his clothes back on then opened up the bathroom door.

The hotel room was simple, with only one bed and one dresser. A lone TV sat on the dresser with several cracks on the wall behind it. Next to it was a makeshift chemistry set as well as a few other laboratory tools. Sitting on the bed, a thin man with curly green hair and a fancy burgundy suit was tapping away at a laptop furiously. He looked up when he heard the door open.

"Well, well. That was a long shower." He smiled for a second, and then turned serious. "I heard you puking your guts out in there. Are you feeling all right?"

"I've felt better, Bill." Ash said testily. "I've felt a hell of a lot better."

"Understandable." Bill said, raising his hands. "Bad choice of words, I know."

"No, I'm sorry." Ash sighed, closing his eyes. "You don't deserve that." He groaned unhappily. "I think I'm losing it, Bill. I don't know what's going on with me anymore." He opened his eyes and looked up. "Please tell me you have some good news for me."

"Well I do have good news, but I have bad news too." Bill looked at him sheepishly. "Which do you want first?"

Ash pinched the bridge of his nose. "Bad, I guess."

"This 'antidote' formula you found is an absolute crock. Whoever wrote this down is not the same person who made this virus because it shows a complete lack of genetic knowledge whatsoever. This recipe would be more likely to get you chocolate-chip cookies than an antidote."

"Are you fucking serious?" Ash groaned. "Dammit! I thought we had something here!"

"Well, not all is lost." Bill said with a grin. "The good news is that you have me working for you. While this paper might not be correct, it did give me some ideas and I think I might be able to create something for you." He turned his laptop around so Ash could see the screen. There were two pictures of double helixes. Several numbers and words flashed by as the different pieces were being scanned. "As you can see here…this is a diagram of a normal human DNA strand; mine. On the right, we have your DNA. I've taken the initiative of assigning different colors to show you were your structure differs from mine. Now, if I can engineer something that resembles the ribosomes the virus feeds on, but features some neutralizing agents, we can effectively render the viral intruders sterile and unable to reproduce. You will still be part Pokemon, but at least you won't get any worse."

"How long will it take?" Ash asked excitedly.

"Well, that's more of the bad news, I'm afraid." Bill scratched the back of his head. "By myself, even I work day and night, I can't hypothesize having it done in less than a few weeks. Maybe a month to be sure."

"Bill, I don't have that much time! We've been pushing our luck since day one. I could be too far gone for it to matter tomorrow, let alone in a month. I'm holding on by a thread as it is, James even less so."

"I'll devote myself to it, Ash. You know I will. I'm just giving you a realistic timeframe." He bit his lip. "Although, if everything goes perfectly and I'm right on the first try…maybe two weeks. But that's going to be the best-case scenario. Don't expect it."

"Thanks. I really owe you for coming down here, trusting me even though I'm public enemy number one and teaming up with a former member of Team Rocket, for getting this hotel room that we can hide out at. You're a saint."

"It is my pleasure." Bill said. "I'm glad my life's research of Pokemon genetics is going to be a real practical help rather than just textbook material."

"While we're on the subject," Ash said. "Any idea why I can't seem to keep anything I eat down without throwing it right back up?"

"Actually yes." Bill nodded. "What did you eat this morning?"

"Err…some stuff James snuck out from the continental breakfast at the hotel lobby. Donuts, frozen waffles and some cereal."

"And when was the last time you fed those things to your Bulbasaur?"

"I…" Ash started, then shut his mouth, His face screwed up in disgust. "Are you trying to tell me that I need to eat Pokemon food?"

"Not yet. But you might fare better eating some more organic food. Vegetables, grains, and very few processed foods. If the virus has already spread to your digestive system, rich foods might be too much for you to handle. You might also want to chew some grass."

"You're fucking with me."

"I'm afraid not." Bill shook his head and shrugged. "It might help settle your stomach."

"Grass…" Ash mused for a while. He sat down on the ground and picked at some rug threads. "Say, Bill…" Ash said after a moment of silence. "Do you think it's possible to create a complete antidote that will return me to normal?"

"Well…it's possible." Bill said, choosing his words carefully. "We could design another virus from one of your undamaged DNA pieces that would have the alternate effect of your current one, feeding on your Pokemon parts and replacing it with specifically coded human bits. But even if I had a large team of devoted individuals and unlimited resources and funding, it would take years to accomplish."

"…And by yourself with no funding?" Ash asked wearily.

"At least two lifetimes." Bill shook his head. "Sorry Ash, but whoever designed this Pokemon hybrid virus must have spent their life doing so. I couldn't even hope to scratch the surface of this thing before I die."

"Oh." Ash said dejectedly. Another awkward silence settled in the air before Bill cleared his throat.

"This may not be the most appropriate time to bring this up, but I must know." He shifted excitedly. "What is it like to be part Pokemon, Ash? I've studied Pokemon for so long and I have always dreamed on what it is like to be one with the Pokemon world. What does it feel like?"

Ash was silent for a moment before speaking up. "Bill, do you remember the day we met at your lighthouse?"

"Of course I do! You helped me out of my Kabuto costume and then we got a glimpse of the rare Dragonite! It was truly a momentous day. Why?"

"Because I don't. I can remember that we went to see you. I remembered you and I remember your lighthouse." Ash stared glumly at the wall, zoning out. "But I don't recall the day at all. It's like it was torn away from me, leaving a gaping hole in my mind. Like my memories are a giant puzzle and someone's slowly removing the pieces one by one." Bill's smile disappeared and his brow knotted up in sorrow. "I once met a boy who loved to take pictures of Pokemon. We even adventured together for a while. Yet, I can't recall his name, or what he really looked like. Just blackness where a memory used to be." He turned slowly to stare at Bill. "I'm disappearing, Bill. Piece by piece. Soon, there won't be much more left that's genuinely me. These memories…I've lost them for good. I will never get them back. I could wake up tomorrow and not even know who you are or what you're doing here. Do you know how much that scares me? There's already a good chance that I don't have a future…but I'm going to be robbed of my past as well." Ash started to shake and he dropped his head into his hands. Several isolated tears streamed down his cheeks. "All my friends…all my Pokemon…all my journeys. I don't want to forget them Bill!"

"Ash…I'm sorry…I didn't realize…"

"I don't care if this disease takes my body…I just don't want to lose my mind." Ash wiped his face, getting rid of the teardrops. "But I am. More and more every day."

"Ash…I…" Bill started, but couldn't find any words to comfort the boy. Ash slowly reached behind himself and reached into his back pocket. He pulled out a folded up piece of paper and held it out to Bill.

"I want you to hold onto this." He said. "Before I forget that I even wrote it."

"What is it?" Bill asked as he took the paper. He began to unfold it until Ash hissed.

"Don't read it. Please." He sighed. "Just…if something happens to me, if…if you're too late to save me, could you give that to Misty? You remember her, right?" Bill nodded numbly. "So you can do this for me?"

"Of course." Bill said.

"Thanks." Ash said. The two were silent for a while longer, an awkward tension filling the air until the door to the hotel room opened.

"Okay, I've got some things here…" James began as he walked into the room, then he stopped in his tracks. He looked down at Ash on the floor, then Bill who was leaning forward, still holding the note. "What the hell's going on in here?"

"Nothing." Ash said quickly. "Nothing's going on. Bill's just explaining some things to me."

James shrugged and closed the door. He set the paper bag down on the floor. "If you insist. I don't really want to know anyway." He reached into the bag and threw a handful of black clothes at Ash. The boy caught the wad of clothing before unraveling each separate garment.

"Huh?" Ash asked holding out what looked like a sweatshirt.

"If we're really going to do this espionage thing, we need to take it seriously. No more breaking in wearing trainer clothes with no gear other than our wallets." He pulled out some smaller bags. "We got damn lucky back in Garnet City and I don't want to press our luck any further."

"So you bought black clothes? I'm so glad you're making good use of my money. Is this going to make us super spies now?"

"No, but it's going to make us harder to see at night, and that will make all the difference for our next objective." James reached into a small bag and tossed a small sphere at Ash. He grabbed it from the air and opened his hand. The object was wrapped in colorful red and green paper and smelled sweet.

"A Rare Candy?" Ash asked.

"If we're going to suffer the problems of being part Pokemon, we might as well reap the benefits too." James grinned wildly. "Eat up."

Ash glanced down at the candy, shrugged, and unwrapped it. He popped the red candy in his mouth and chomped down. A surge of energy rushed through his body and Ash could feel all his aches and pains temporarily going away. The feeling of power circulating inside of him caused his mind to go slack with a comforting numbness. "Oh, wow." Was all he said.

"Yeah, I felt the same way too when I ate one." James said and he turned to Bill. "Okay, I managed to pick up some of the science junk you wanted, Pointdexter. I hope you can make use of it."

"Well, I should think so." Bill sighed and turned back to his laptop.

"We've given you several days now. Have you made any progress, or are you just taking up space?"

"Don't trivialize my abilities." Bill scoffed. "I'll have you know that, even though the formula you found is utter rubbish, I have come up with a solid hypothesis on how to create a virus neutralizer. No need to thank me or anything."

"Keep fishing for compliments. You will get my respect when you can show me some actual work." He picked up one of the paper bags and dropped it on the bed next to Bill. Bill sighed and began to rummage through the equipment. James then turned back to Ash. He grabbed the boy by the head and shook his vigorously. It seemed to knock Ash out of his trance.

"Hey! What the fuck?" Ash growled. "I was enjoying the feeling."

"Don't get too complacent, kid." James said. He reached into the main bag and picked out a folded up brochure. Ash could make out that it was a map of the town. "We've got a lot ahead of us if we want to prepare for tonight."

"Fine, fine." Ash said, getting to his feet. "Are you going to tell me where this secret base is now?"

"Yeah." James unfolded the map and then refolded it so a section of the city by the shore was showing. James held it out to Ash, who took it. James pointed to a place on the water's edge. "There. At an abandoned loading dock."

o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o

"Why an abandoned loading dock?" Ash asked. His back was pressed firmly against the leaves of the bush he and James were hiding behind. James didn't reply at first; he was busy peeking out through the shrubbery with a pair of binoculars. Ash shifted uncomfortably in his black turtleneck. It was a muggy night and he was sweating like crazy in the outfit James had bought. He didn't understand how James could sit so perfectly still.

"It's a great place for storage." James finally spoke up. "It's not a big laboratory like in Garnet City, but the Port Sapphire base is where most of the equipment and supplies for the other bases scattered across the Violet Islands. Crashing this party will set them back quite a bit."

"Jeez. Even in a rundown shack like this." Ash peered through the bushes as well. There was a large, ramshackle warehouse a good distance away next to a long pier with several large metal containers next to it. Several motorboats were tied up at the docks. A few people seemed to be working there, loading and unloading crates from the metal containers. "Just how many secret bases does Team Rocket have, anyway?"

"Kid, if I told you half of them, you'd shit your pants."

"How is it the police never check these things?"

"Oh, they do, on occasion. That's why it helps to have some dirty cops on the inside."

"You mean some of the policemen are also Rockets?" Ash asked incredulously.

"What? You didn't think there were any?" James asked. "How else do you think Team Rocket gets away with stuff all the time?"

"That just blows my mind."

"The seedy underground is a lot bigger than you think." James never took his eyes away from the binoculars. "Now where is your damn bird?"

"He'll be along soon." Ash said. He glanced around nervously. "I'm feeling a little exposed here, man. We're hiding behind a freaking bush a couple hundred yards away from the base."

"No one knows we're here." James said. "No one saw us sneak up and no one saw us set up behind the bush. Now stop making me so goddamn nervous."

Ash was about to retort when a Spearow swooped down from the air and landed next to him. "Spear spear!" It squawked.

Ash put a finger on his lips to get the bird pokemon to hush. "Good, good." He whispered. "Now how many guards did you see?"

"Spearow! Spear, spear, spear, spear." It nodded it's head with each sound.

"Four?" Ash verified.

"Spearow!" It responded with a nod.

"How many in the trees?" James asked.

"Spear spear!" It nodded it's head in two separate directions.

"Two." James grunted. "Looks like we have some snipers."

"Snipers?" Ash asked worriedly. "Please tell me you're joking."

"Get rid of the bird." James said, going back to looking through the binoculars. Ash gulped and fumbled for a Pokeball at his belt.

"Good job, Spearow." He said and the bird turned into a beam of red light, returning to it's ball. Ash reattached it to his belt and moved as close as he could to the bush. "Now when you say snipers, do you mean…"

"Guns, yeah." James said unemotionally. "Probably tranquilizers. Probably."

"That makes me feel better." Ash responded. He was sweating some more and this time it wasn't because of the heat. "I know we've faced guns before, but it was never at this great of a distance from this far away. And from such an unknown location."

"Well, thankfully for you, you have a former member of Team Rocket with you. I assume your Spearow was pointing out the general direction of our targets. In that case, it's just going to be a matter of bait and switch."

"Bait and…?" Ash asked, and then it dawned on him. "You want me to be a distraction?"

"Have a problem with that?"

"Besides that I don't like being shot?"

"Don't worry. You weren't my idea for a distraction anyway." James said. He reached to his belt and pulled a Pokeball out. He held it out in front of him. "Go Weezing." The two-headed purple Pokemon appeared in front of them.

"Weezing!" It coughed.

"All right, Weezing. I want you to go into the open and use smoke screen. Understand?"

"Weeze." It responded despondently.

"You're going to sacrifice your own Pokemon?" Ash hissed angrily.

"They won't shoot it, not if it's on its own. It will just draw their attention." He watched his Weezing travel out into the open. "Now, if you want to just wait here, that's fine. I'm going to go take care of our problem." With that, James ducked down and slunk off toward the nearest set of trees. Ash pressed his back against the bush and kept silent. At first, he heard a "Weezing" from James' Pokemon, followed a few minutes later by a low grunt and the sound of something heavy hitting the ground like a sack of potatoes. A few moments after, there was an almost silent "snikt" noise followed by a second loud thump. Ash ventured a look over the top of the shrubbery. The Weezing was still in the center of the tree clusters, the smog around him dissipating. Two bodies were lying on the ground a few yards away in two opposite directions. Ash couldn't make too much out, but one of them was missing a large chunk of their abdomen.

"Are you just going to keep staring?" A voice from behind Ash said. The boy jumped and flipped around. James had returned, and he had blood splattered across his face and shirt. His claws were still dripping wet. One hand held a bloody sniper rifle.

"Dammit!" Ash growled. "Don't sneak up on me like that!"

"Don't dilly-dally." James said plainly. He dropped the gun into the bush. "We have to get moving." He walked out to his Weezing and recalled it. Ash got to his feet and hurried afterward.

"What about the bodies?" Ash asked as he got nearer to James.

"What about them?" James asked. "The people at the dock can't see them and by the time anyone else finds them, we should be long gone."

"That seems reckless to me." Ash griped, but didn't press the matter. He merely followed James as his partner snuck off toward the boat house. They stayed to the shadows, trying to sneak up on the unsuspecting Rockets working at the dock. As they neared the rundown building, James stopped Ash and pulled him down to the ground.

"Stop here." He hissed. "I'm going to see if there is a way to get in from the roof, like a skylight or something."

"You don't want me to come along?" Ash asked.

"Just wait here and stay out of trouble." James said. He crawled across the grass until he reached the boat house. He extended his claws again and began to climb up the side of the building. Ash glared at him from a distance.

"Stay out of trouble, my ass." He grumbled. "Does he think I'm still a stupid kid?" He watched James's silhouette until it disappeared from view onto the roof. He looked up at the dock and watched a Rocket in a black outfit with a red "R" on the chest patrolling the wooden pier dutifully.

_Goddamn Rockets._ Ash's mind started to churn uncontrollably, torturous memories surfacing and stagnating. _Just looking at them makes my blood boil. Every fucking one of them deserves to die. _His fists started to shake, but he didn't seem to notice. All he could concentrate on was his raising ire. _It felt so good to kill those Rockets back in Garnet City. God, I want to feel that good again. I want to feel that righteous justification again._

Before he knew what he was doing, Ash was standing up and beginning to walk toward the pier. His fists were balled so tightly, he was beginning to loose feeling. Rage was flowing so freely through his mind, all he could see was red and all he could concentrate on was revenge.

The Rocket had just turned his back when Ash came up behind him and wrapped his arm around the man's neck. He dropped his flashlight and tried to yell out in surprise. However, Ash was holding him so tightly; no sounds left his mouth other than a pained gurgled. Ash pressed the palm of his left hand against the back of the man and unleashed a rain of razor leaves into him. Several shots of blood spurted out from the fresh wounds and the Rocket thrashed violently until the leaves tore his insides up enough for him to slip into death.

Ash smiled as he felt the man go limp as his life left him. It felt like a great injustice in him was satisfied and a gentle peace settled in his mind. This lifted the fog of anger, and Ash saw exactly what he had done. His eyes widened and he immediately dropped the body from his grip. The dead body fell to the side, tumbling off the dock and landing in the water with a loud splash. Two other sets of flashlights turned on him.

"Hey kid! What are you doing here?" One of the Rockets at the large metal container shouted. His light beam shifted to the body in the water and he gasped. "What the hell? He killed Barry! Get him!"

Ash was still looking straight ahead like a Stantler staring at a pair of headlights. His mind was reeling, not able to keep up with what had happened. He remembered getting up and killing the Rocket, but as if he had watched himself from a third-person perspective. He held up his hands to block the bright lights, his brain still not back in the real world yet. The light reflected off the translucent blood that covered his left hand.

Then a shot rang out in the air and Ash felt a sharp sting of pain as a bullet grazed his arm. A burning sensation surged through his body and it brought him back into reality. He immediately dove down to the ground into a somersault as some more shots rang out, bullets whizzing by where his body used to be.

Ash ended his roll into a crouching position, looking back at the dock. There were four Rockets, two with flashlights and all four with handguns. The entire group was running toward him, aiming their guns at him. With a rush of energy, two vines pierced through Ash's skin and burst free from his back. They extended forward rapidly, causing the Rockets to come to screeching halt in surprise and fear. One vine wrapped around a man's hand and twisted. With a loud crack, his wrist broke and the gun fell harmlessly to the wooden floorboards. The other vine wrapped around the ankle of a Rocket wielding a flashlight. A sudden sharp yank sent the man hurtling over the dock edge, hitting the water hard. The other two broke free from their spell of shock and began to fire at Ash again. Another shot barley missed him, leaving a long burn mark along his leg and cutting his pants.

Gripped by fear, Ash recalled his vines, got to his feet, and ran to the side of the ramshackle building. The two men followed suit, reloading their weapons as they gave chase. Once his back was against the boat house, Ash raised his hands up and let loose a stream of razor leaves. The Rockets yelled and immediately raised their arms to protect their face. They whizzed by the men, cutting them and drawing blood, but failing to kill them or even stop them. Angrily, the Rockets lifted their guns to fire at Ash again.

From above, a shadowy figure descended on the two men, claws at the ready. Before he got the chance to react, the man with the flashlight felt the crushing weight of James as he landed on top of him, dragging him to the ground. The other Rocket swung his gun around and pointed it in James' face, but the purple haired man swung his claws around and cut the barrel of the gun off, leaving the gun inoperable. The man dropped the weapon in shock and surprise, but before he cold turn and run, James shoved his claws into the man's neck, severing his carotid artery. A spray of blood gushed out from the man's neck and mouth before he crumpled to the ground. The man beneath James groaned in pain and James quickly drove the claws on his other hand into the back of the man's head, splitting it like a ripe cantaloupe.

Ash breathed a sigh of relief as his shoulders went slack. _That was a close call_, he thought. James stood up, dusted his pants off and walked over to Ash. Ash was about to thank him, when he noticed the anger in the other man's eyes. James reached out and grabbed Ash's throat, slamming his body against the wooden wall. Ash coughed and choked in surprise, unprepared for James' strike. His claws were dangerously close to the back of Ash's neck and Ash could smell fresh blood on them.

"What the fuck is wrong with you?" James growled. "I told you to stay the fuck put!"

"You're…choking me…" Ash tried to intervene, prying at James' fingers, but the older man wasn't paying the pleas any attention.

"Good! Give me one good reason I shouldn't kill you right here." His scowl was getting even deeper. "You blew our cover and gave away the element of surprise! I should kill you just for that! When I agreed to work with you, it was because I thought you could handle yourself. Now that I see you can't, you're nothing but a hindrance to me." His grip tightened. "You're dead weight, Ketchum."

"It was…a momentary…relapse…" Ash managed to squeak out, his face turning white. "Won't happen…again…"

"It better not." James let the boy go, and Ash slumped to the ground, coughing loudly and rubbing his neck. James wiped the blood and brain particles off his claws with his pants. "No more being an idiot, are we clear?"

"Crystal." Ash managed to say, still coughing. He stumbled to his feet, trying to get his balance.

"Well, fuck making any secret entrances." James said. "Who knows who heard the gunshots. Guess we'll have to get in and get out as quick as possible." He walked over to the large double doors to the boat house. Grabbing both handles, he pulled the doors open, revealing the large open warehouse in front of them. Empty crates, metal barrels and fishing equipment was scattered throughout the room. There was a staircase in the back leading to a catwalk and office room twelve feet above the ground. The room was still dark in the far corners, with no lights on at all. It appeared to be empty.

"I kinda expected more people." Ash said, walking up next to James.

"Something doesn't smell right." James said cautiously. "Like this is some kind of…"

"Some kind of trap?" A voice asked from the back corner of the room. "Is that what you were going to say James?"

"Klaus?" James asked, striking a fighting stance. Ash quickly followed suit.

"I see your mind isn't that far gone, Trainer James." The man said. "At least you can remember my name."

"Klaus?" Ash asked.

"He's a Rocket Captain. He used to run with a biker gang I was part of when I was younger." He looked around the room, trying to spot the man. "He joined Team Rocket before I did and rose in rank quickly due to his especially cruel mannerisms."

"You flatter me, James." The voice continued. "And here I am without any words of praise for you."

"You could always come out and show yourself." James said into the dark. "I miss your ugly face."

"Oh James…I'm sorry, but I've changed." Klaus stepped out from the darkness in the back of the room. He was a tall man with blonde hair and piercing eyes. He was wearing a black Team Rocket outfit with a cap and a suit with a red "R". His skin, however, was a deep forest green and he had large bug-style wings sprouting from his upper back. His arms ended not in hands, but long, sharp, scythe-like blades. He gave the duo a maniacal grin that shone in the light from the moon, pouring in through the doorway. Ash and James both took a step back in shock.

"Hello James." Klaus pointed one of his scythes at them, his eyes narrowing and focusing on them like a predator staring down his prey. "It's been a while."

To Be Continued…

* * *

Question: Does ending the chapter on a cliffhanger like this make me a bastard? Answer: Yes.

I'll try and not make you wait too long for the next installment so you're not on the edge of your seats for too long. Please review and tell me what you thought. I love hearing back from the readers so don't be shy about giving me your feedback.

Thanks all and I'll see you again soon with the next chapter!

- T.E.


	8. Altercation

**Intro:** Hey everyone! I hope you all had a good Thanksgiving or what have you. I stayed up late finishing this chapter so I could get it posted before I left for the weekend. It's another long one (longer than I intended, but the battle scene kept growing on me), but I'm sure you'll like it. For the eighth time, I do not own Pokemon or it's characters.

**Hybrids: Third Iteration**

**Strand 3: Altercation**

For a long time, no one said anything. Only the call of the nocturnal Hoothoot's pierced the thick silence. James stared ahead at Klaus, and the Rocket just stared back. Ash's eyes shifted from one face to another uneasily. He didn't know what he was expecting from this attack on a loading dock, but coming face to face with a Rocket hybrid certainly wasn't it.

"So, are you here to kill us?" James asked finally.

"Must you be so blunt?" Klaus asked, his devious grin refusing to leave his face. "Wouldn't you rather partake in some witty banter first?"

"Don't have the time." James replied. "I'd like to just cut to the chase."

"I think you already know the answer to that question, James." Klaus shrugged. "You've been causing some problems for Team Rocket."

"Yeah? Just some problems?"

"The boss asked me to see to you personally. I watched the video footage of you in the Garnet City breeding center, and I must say I am looking forward to squaring off against you." His grin seemed to widen even further. "I will enjoy the precious moments of blissful combat before I hack you to pieces."

"Of course you will." James said dryly. He crossed his arms. "I doubt you've seen much fighting with those new limbs of yours."

"You'd be surprised. When I volunteered for this project, one of my clauses is that I have some live targets to practice on."

"Wait…volunteered?" Ash spoke up. "You mean you actually wanted this shit?"  
"Why not?" Klaus asked. "This raw power is so invigorating and intoxicating. Not to mention having these masterful blades on my arms." He swung his scythes around as if showing them off.

"But what about…" Ash started, but Klaus just kept on talking.

"Don't you care for your gift, Ketchum?" He asked. "You can do things never thought possible now. Recover from wounds long thought fatal. Move faster and more agile than you should be capable of." He shrugged. "Why would you refuse it?"

"What about the drawbacks?" Ash asked. "What about the virus destroying our bodies?"

"Ah yes. I almost forgot." Klaus slapped his forehead. "The 'Rebound'. It completely slipped my mind that you were given that batch of the virus."

"What do you mean 'that batch'?" James asked, stepping forward.

"Still not all that bright, eh James?" Klaus laughed. "Do you think I would choose this if I was going to suffer the same fate as you two? No, no. Giovanni has a new serum. The virus cannot reproduce; therefore, my DNA only changes equal to the amount of viral solution I take in." He flexed his arms slightly to show off his green muscles. "Although I must say that it is a bit like steroids. Very addictive."

"The virus can't reproduce?" Ash asked in wonder and jealousy.

"Well, why do you think he used you guys as test subjects? Do you think people like me would agree if it was untested? Giovanni ran many tests. Most of them died."

"Do you really believe Giovanni gave you a perfect virus?" James scoffed. "I think he tricked you."

Klaus' grin disappeared, but only for a second before returning with full force. "Clever, Trainer James, but I am not so easily fooled. Try and anger me, but I see right through your ruse." He stepped a little closer. "Now, I do believe I had a mission objective to take care of." He pointed his right scythe straight ahead. "You."

"Go ahead and try." James said. "I have the advantage though."

"Oh, really?" Klaus asked, amused. "And what would that be?"

"You've been looking forward to fighting me for a several days. I've been looking forward to fighting you for several years." James stepped up. "Ash, get out of the way."

"What?" Ash asked. "No fucking way, James."

"Do you see that room up on the second level?" Ash's eyes followed James's claw. There were stairs on the far side of the boat house leading up to a catwalk that crossed back over to a large office like room that was halfway in between the two ends of the building. "Get in there. There should be some important files. Grab them."

"What about you?"

"I'll take care of this joker." James said. "He may have become captain, but that doesn't mean he's better in combat."

"Two on one would be a better idea." Ash said, but knew he was losing the battle.

"He's arrogant and I'm pissed. We'll see which emotion brings out the better fighter."

"Go ahead." Klaus said. "I won't stop you. I'll have plenty of time to take care of you after I've torn apart Jimmy."

"On three." James said to Ash. Ash nodded back. "One…TWO!" James dashed ahead and swung his claws at Klaus. The complacent grin never left the Rocket's face. He stepped back as James' first strike missed him completely. James threw another punch and this time, Klaus used the metal of his scythe to parry James' claws. There was a loud clashing noise as steel hit bone. James came at him with the other hand, but Klaus was ready and blocked using his other scythe. He pushed James' arms upward so they clashed above their heads.

Ash took advantage of the moment to run past the occupied Klaus and jump over a pile of crates. The stairs were all the way on the other side of the open building and Ash had an easier solution. Once he was safely out of Klaus' possible reach, he stopped and summoned the vines out from his back again. He could just wrap the plant extremities around the catwalk railings and lift himself up; instant shortcut.

But then Klaus whistled loudly, still stuck in a stalemate with James. The doors to the office room burst open and three Rockets came pouring out of the room. Each one was wielding an automatic rifle. They pointed downward and began to fire a hailstorm of bullets down at Ash. The boy yelped and the vines coursed straight ahead, wrapping around the handles of a steel crate. Ash pulled himself out of the firing range seconds before the bullets tore up the wooden floors were he once stood. Ash stopped and froze under the catwalk, the only place where they couldn't shoot.

Klaus kept James locked in their clashing positing for a few moments before giving in and jumping backward to avoid James' claws as they came swinging by. His wings beat furiously, adding extra length to his jump. The sudden lack of opposing force made James stumble slightly and he struggled to keep his balance. Klaus leapt back at James, swinging his scythes around furiously. James brought his claws up to block, barely managing to deflect each hit. As Klaus pushed forward, James was forced to walk backward to keep Klaus' scythes in sight.

"Is this the best you got?" Klaus taunted. "C'mon! Show me what you're made of!"

"Fine!" James growled and reached outward at Klaus, much to the Rocket captain's surprise. He managed to grab the man's wrists right before the metal blade. He pulled the man's arms out wide and head-butted Klaus as hard as he could. James let go and Klaus stumbled backward, eventually falling backwards. James held his head and waited for the ringing in his ears to stop. He had the advantage now and he couldn't just let it slip by. He dashed forward and dived at Klaus' sitting form, claws ready to cut through him. Klaus quickly rolled to one side and, his wings fluttering like mad, spun into the air, landing on his feet. James' claws dug deep into the wood planks of the floorboards as he landed on his knees.

"Nice sucker punch, Trainer James, but you'll have to do better than that." Klaus regained his equilibrium and struck another battle pose.

"Watch me." James growled as he got to his feet and charged Klaus again.

Another hail of bullets from above kept Ash pinned under the catwalk. Ash swore as chips of wood and sawdust flew into the air when each bullet struck the floor. _How the hell am I supposed to get anywhere? I'm trapped like a Rattatta! _Ash's mind started to reel until an idea popped into his head. He reached to his belt and grabbed one of his pokeballs. He held it out in front of him. A red beam fired out and it formed into the shape of a round creature.

"Poliwhirl!" Ash said to the blue pokemon. "I need you to Hydro Pump the catwalk above us!"

"Poli!" It chirped happily. It looked upward and stuck its belly out. "Poliwhirl!" With a cry, a burst of concentrated water shot upward. The wet blast struck the floorboards of the catwalk, breaking through and shattering some of the planks. The Rockets shouted and struggled to keep their balance as the Hydro Pump attack knocked them off their feet. Ash took their yells as cues to spring into action and rolled out from his hiding place. The two vines that were dangling limply by his body burst into life again and flew upward, wrapping tightly around one arm of each Rocket. The men cried out as Ash yanked them down off the perch. The man began to fire erratically and Ash let go of them as they plummeted to the ground. There were two sickening smacks and snaps as the Rockets landed on the ground, head-first. Neither one moved and Ash could only guess they were both dead from the impact. His guilt didn't even trigger and if he wasn't so intent on his mission, the realization probably would have disturbed him greatly.

After returning Poliwhirl to his Pokeball, Ash ran over and scooped up one of the automatic rifles. It felt weird in his hands, he never so much as held a real gun before, but it might not hurt to have one on hand. He turned around to take a look at James. He was still busy fighting with Klaus. Neither one seemed to be gaining any ground on the other. Ash felt like he should interfere, but he knew he would only get in the way of such and intense battle. Instead, he turned his focus to the room up above.

The vines sprang back into action and shot upward, wrapping around some rafters along the ceiling. Ash lifted himself into the air and eventually landed firmly on the catwalk. He ran over to the office room and threw open the door. Standing only a few steps into the room was one last Rocket. He was a huge, hulking man and he was holding a large, overly-intimidating mini gun in his hands. His eyebrows furrowed and he lifted the gun so all the barrels were aimed at Ash's chest. The boy's eyes widened and his lips pursed together.

"Oh." Was all that the shock would allow him to say. The Rocket smiled. Ash snapped back into reality and swung his gun around. He pulled the trigger, but the kickback sent his hands veering off and he ended up firing a hail of bullets into the upper wall and ceiling. Moonlight poured in through the holes. Ash's eyes returned to the Rocket in the office room. The mini gun barrels began to spin around. "SHIT!" Ash turned and, without and second thought, vaulted over the railing of the catwalk. His vines sprinted out to grab onto the nearest rafter. He heard the mini gun begin to fire relentlessly from its multiple barrels. The speeding hunks of metal whizzed by, and Ash could feel the heat from them. One bullet pierced his ankle and shot straight through. Ash screamed in pain and horror, and the vines instantly retreated into his body from the sharp and intense fire in his nerves. Blood shot out from the open hole and Ash could only hope he was strong enough to prevent passing out. He barely had time to realize two important things: That he had just been shot in the leg and that he was now falling.

James swiped angrily at Klaus, still failing to get a solid hit in after his head butt. _Fucking Hell!_ James swore mentally. _This bastard was too damn fast!_ Klaus just grinned darkly, deftly dodging James's attacks. He had even stopped attacking back, simply enjoying toying with him. James scowled and threw another missing punch.

"This is starting to get old, James." Klaus said, mock annoyance in his voice. "You're not varying up your techniques at all. I may end this now, just because I'm getting bored with you."

"Why don't you?" James hissed angrily. "I'm getting tired of you jumping around like a damn coward!"

"Oh, if you insist." Klaus said, raising his scythes up, then he stopped. He glanced over his shoulders over to the catwalk. James was ready to take advantage of the situation, but his eyes followed Klaus' and he noticed Ash's form falling to the ground. Ash didn't even seem to be trying to prevent it.

"ASH!" James shouted out as loud as he can.

The shout seemed to knock Ash out of whatever trance he was in, and he realized his predicament. _Shit…the floor!_ Ash gawked and the vines burst free from his back again. He pushed the pain in his foot out of his mind long enough to secure a safe landing. The vines wrapped around two catwalk support wires and Ash swung to safety. His feet touched the ground and he collapsed as the searing pain returned to his head. He put his hand on his ankle, feeling the wet, blood-soaked sock. His muscles were already starting to reweave and his skin was stretching over the gaping wound, but it still hurt like hell. Ash looked up at James, who was still staring back at him. Ash's eyes widened as he saw Klaus begin to move. "James! Watch out!" He screamed, his voice breaking.

James turned around quickly, in time to see Klaus start to move about erratically. His feet were shuffling as if he was dancing to an inaudible beat. James scowled and punched at him. Klaus shuffled to the side and parried with his scythe.

"Now what the fuck are you doing?" James hissed.

"He's initiating a Swords Dance!" Ash shouted weakly from the other side of the room. "It's supposed to disorient and distract you!"

"Dancing?" James asked. "And I thought this battle couldn't get any dumber."

"You are underestimating me again, Trainer James." Klaus said. "And this time, it will be your downfall." James took another swipe at Klaus' face and this time, the Rocket ducked down and swung his leg around. The quick sweep struck James in the back of his knees and he lost his balance. He fell backward as Klaus rose up suddenly, bringing his scythe upward. Metal tore through skin as he ripped a deep gash in James' side. The man shouted in pain as a thick red mist exploded from his side. He hit the floorboards hard, blood oozing from his wound. He lay there motionless, his shirt and pants soaking in the gushing blood.

"NO!" Ash shouted. He struggled to get up, but his foot wouldn't support his weight. "James!"

"Stay there for a moment." Klaus instructed him. "I'll deal with you as soon as I finish James off." He lifted his right scythe over James' dormant form.

"Like hell you are!" Ash shouted and thrusted his arm outward. Razor leaves poured forth from his wrist and flew at Klaus. The Rocket caught them out of the corner of his eyes and jumped backward as quick as he could. Several leaves caught him as he moved, cutting and slicing his face and arms. He turned toward Ash, snarling.

"You little shit." Klaus stuck his tongue out and licked up a trail of blood dripping down from a cut under his left eye. "Fine. I guess I'll fight you first. James isn't going anywhere any time soon anyway." Klaus jumped at Ash, his wings beating furiously. The lift from his wings sent him sailing through the air effortlessly. Ash got to his feet, his injured ankle still throbbing but no longer unable to support him. He grabbed a piece of metal piping that was lying next to a broken crate.

Klaus closed in on him much faster than Ash could have anticipated. He swung his scythe around for a first strike. Ash lifted the pipe up to block the metal blade. Much to his dismay, Klaus' scythe tore through the pipe like it was a rolled up newspaper. The half that Ash wasn't holding fell to the ground with a harmless clunk.

"Shit!" Ash ducked out of the way of another scythe slash.

"Did you really think you could stop me with some weak metal rod?" Klaus laughed. "This will be easier than I thought." Ash yelped as he tried to keep one step ahead of Klaus, but the man was starting to gain an obvious advantage. Ash could only think of one thing to do. He drew back his arm and slammed the remaining chunk of metal piping into Klaus' face. The Rocket was caught off guard and stumbled backwards. Ash quickly retreated a few steps and grabbed a pokeball from his belt. As fast as he could, he tossed it onto the ground. Upon impact with the floor, a red beam shot out from the center and formed into a Venonat.

"Nat!" It screeched happily.

"Help me out here Venonat!" Ash said quickly. Klaus was recovering and he looked pissed. The bug Pokemon chirped in response and its antennae began to twitch erratically. Klaus stepped in and kicked the bug as hard as he could. With a squeal of pain, the Venonat flew across the open room and landed in a heap near the far wall. "Venonat!" Ash yelled.

"That was low, bringing a weak Pokemon into a one-on-one battle." Klaus hissed. "It's just you and me from now on and I'm not going to go easy on you." He swung his scythe arms around. Ash ducked and dodged as best he could. Several slices managed to nick his body, leaving long cuts that dripped blood down to the wooden floor. Ash tried to get away, but Klaus kept him close, preventing Ash from effectively using his abilities. He moved so quickly, it took all of the young man's concentration to keep from getting slashed. Out of the corner of his eyes, Ash tried to check up on his Venonat. The spot where the Pokemon had landed was empty. Ash couldn't blame it; if he was in that position, he would have run away too.

"C'mon! Fight back!" Klaus taunted. "I'm getting bored here!"

"I'm better at running, actually." Ash said, and two vines burst free from his back. They rushed up to the ceiling and wrapped around a rafter. Ash propelled himself upward until he could grab onto the rafter edge and lift himself up. He knelt on the wooden beam, catching his breath. At least Klaus couldn't follow him up here.

Much to his surprise and chagrin, the Rocket ran over to a corner of the building. He jumped at one wall, his wings beating fast enough to give him extra propulsion and leverage. He kicked off the wall, then another, then back to the original wall. He repeated his ricocheting pattern until he reached the rafter level. His final push sent him careening through the air, wings giving him enough glide to reach one of the wooden beams. Without any loss of momentum, he began to charge at Ash.

"No fucking way." Ash grunted. This was unreal. He braced himself and unleashed a cloud of spores into the air. Klaus came to a screeching halt in front of the green cloud. He snorted impatiently.

"You think I'm dumb enough to run into a leech seed attack?" He asked.

"It'll keep you at bay for a while." Ash responded, his mind racing to try and get a plan.

"Not long enough." Klaus took a few steps back until he was past the center of the long beam. He got down on one knee and, with a single swing, sliced his metal blade through the wooden beam. No longer held up by pressure, the two halves of the beam strained under their own weight. Ash's eyes widened as the beam he was on shifted and creaked until it snapped away from the wall.

The beam hit the wooden floor hard enough to crack right through it, imbedding itself in the planks. Ash tumbled away during the fall and crash landed a few feet away, breaking some of the wooden boards as he landed. The impact knocked all the air out of his lungs and both his back and chest burned like a furnace. Every breath was labored and painful. It felt like he must have cracked a rib or two. He looked over at the black barrel right next to him. It had a red flame painted on it with the word "Flammable" right beneath it. _My God, was that close._ Ash exhaled sharply in relief and immediately regretted it.

The beam Klaus was on landed seconds after Ash's and the Rocket descended from the air lightly, his wings slowing his decent. Having lost its main support, the whole building was groaning and swaying uncertainly from the impact of the beams, but it settled eventually, sturdy enough to support itself. Klaus touched down on the ground harmlessly, chuckling to himself.

"Now _that_ was creative." He laughed. "I just came up with it on the spot. I love spontaneous actions." He walked over to Ash, who was trying his hardest to get to his feet. It hurt too much to even think about, let alone attempt it. "Well, Mr. Ketchum, I see it's time to finish this once and for all. You put up a good chase, but sadly I put a better pursuit." He raised his right arm in the air, preparing to bring it down on Ash's neck. As if out of nowhere, Klaus was tackled from behind by James. He shouted in surprise as two sharp claws entered his lower back. The man pushed Klaus to the ground face first, riding his back so he would land on top of him. When he hit the ground, Klaus tried to wriggle free. James quickly pulled his claws free, eliciting another yelp from the Rocket. He quickly grabbed a hold of Klaus' wings, one in each hand. With all his strength, James tore the wings out of the man's shoulder blades. Klaus screamed in tortuous pain at the sudden loss. Blood gushed up from the wound and soaked into the black outfit. James tossed the wings aside.

"Let's see you fly around the room now, you fuck." He spat up some blood with the words. Klaus began to swing his scythes around wildly in hopes of getting rid of his captor. James saw a solution and grabbed onto the man's wrists, keeping him pinned down. "Now, Ash!" James screamed. "Grab a razor leaf and slit his throat!"

Ash managed to get up into a sitting position. A razor leaf traveled up his right arm and passed through his skin into the palm of his hand. _Okay…this is easy. You've done this before._ Ash took a painfully deep breath and drew his arm back. That was when he saw movement from the corner of his eyes. He turned toward the catwalk in time to see the large Rocket grunt aim his mini gun at him. Ash quickly moved out of the way as a hail of bullets tore through the air and ripped into the ground where he was standing. Klaus took advantage of the situation to pull his arms free from James' grip. He pushed the weaker man off and ran as fast as he could to an opposite end of the room. He huddled into a ball, breathing erratically and clutching his shoulders.

Ash sprinted under the catwalk as best he could to escape the range of the mini gun. He looked back over to James, who was lying on the ground, clutching his side. "Hurry James!" Ash motioned to him. "Get under here!" James got to his feet and hobbled over toward his partner.

The large Rocket noticed James' movement, and targeted his mini gun on him. He smiled at the easy shot; the man was hardly moving at all. He put his finger on the trigger, but stopped when he heard faint footsteps behind him. He quickly swiveled around, but didn't see anyone on the catwalk with him. Slowly, he looked down at his feet. A purple ball of fuzz with big eyes was looking up at him.

"VENONAT!" It chirped, and then let out a piercing screech. The man screamed and dropped his gun onto the catwalk so he could cover his ears. He stepped backward and hit the railing. His weight shifted and he toppled over the edge, plummeting to the ground. His screaming didn't stop until his massive body collided with one of the fallen beams. There was sound that almost resembled a splash upon impact and he left a large blood stain on the broken rafter.

"Good job Venonat!" Ash called up to him as loud as he could manage. The bug Pokemon chirped back. He turned to James, who arrived at the boy's position and slumped against the ground. "Are you okay?" Ash asked, taking a look at James' side.

"It hurts to do anything." James grunted. "But the bleeding has stopped." He moved his hand away. Sure enough the cut was still there, large and nasty, but no longer gushing blood. "You?"

"I'm weak, but still here." Ash responded, clutching his chest. He looked up at Klaus to see if he as still huddling in the corner. He was still in the corner, but no longer clutching his back. He was standing up, staring at them with murder in his eyes.

"You took my gift away from me." He snarled. "You had no right to do that!" He took a step toward them. "I will cut you into pieces and feed you to the Houndooms!" He began to walk toward them. He was a good distance away, but he moved quickly. Ash knew the gap between them would close quickly.

"Stay back." James wheezed. "He can't fly anymore, so I'll give him an earthquake." He raised his arm up, but ended up coughing and collapsing. He tried to steady himself with his fists. "Just…give me a moment."

"I don't think we have a moment." Ash said slowly. Suddenly, an idea formed in his head. It was suicidal, but it might work. He reached down, ripped a board off the ground and chucked it at Klaus. The man swiped his scythe angrily, tearing the board in two effortlessly. Ash reached over to a small crate, lifted it above his head and tossed it. Klaus swung his arm around again, ripping the crate in half.

"That won't work!" James hissed. "Those blades can cut through anything, even steel!"

"I know." Ash said. "That's what I'm counting on." With a searing moment of pain, the vines burst free from his back once more. They dashed ahead to one side and wrapped around a black barrel. Ash pulled it back over toward him, then used his vines to toss it at Klaus. The minute it went airborne, Ash grabbed James' shoulders and forced him to the ground. In his blinding rage, Klaus swung his scythe around again and cut right through the barrel. He didn't even get a chance to see the bright red flame symbol on it. As the metal blade cut through the steel casing, it caused a small spark.

The resulting explosion sent Klaus's badly burnt body hurtling through the wall of the building, and into the lake. The building shook from the force of the blast and Ash could feel the heat against his body. His grass type nature made the feeling almost unbearable. The fireball was gone almost as quickly as it appeared, but the aftershock could still be felt. The building was creaking and slanting to one side, threatening to collapse completely. Ash looked up and saw the shaking walls.

"We have to go, James!" Ash put his arm around the other man and lifted him up. James accepted his help and the two of them hobbled toward the exit. Ash stopped suddenly when he noticed something on the ground, covered in soot. "Oh man! I almost forgot!" He reached down and scooped up the Pokeball. "Return, Venonat!"

The bug jumped off the shaking catwalk and formed into a red beam, disappearing into the red and white sphere. Ash reattached the pokeball and finished his escape from the building. He stopped when they reached the dock edge, setting James down on the wooden planks. He looked back at the building. For a moment, it seemed as if it was going to steady itself and stay standing. Then the whole shack collapsed into a pile of broken wood. The collapse sent dust debris into the air, and Ash shielded his eyes from it.

Once everything settled, Ash glanced back at where the boat house used to be. The cloud of dust was beginning to dissipate, and Ash could see through the haze. Blue and white lights were flashing in the distance and getting closer. Ash swore.

"Police." James said, looked in the same direction as Ash. "Now what? I don't think we're in any shape to run far enough away in time."

"Well, we can't just let ourselves get captured!" Ash shouted. "They are hunting us down to…" His words were cut off over the sound of a boat engine. Both men turned around to see a motor boat pulling up to the docks. Behind the wheel was a familiar girl with violet hair and Butterfree wings.

"Amy?" Ash asked uncertainly.

"You!" James hissed angrily.

"Get in!" Amy shouted, motioning with her hand for them to get in the boat. "Hurry, before the police get here!" Ash had many questions for her, but now was the not the time for questioning; it was the time for escaping. Ash helped James up to his feet and assisted in getting him in the boat. Ash jumped in after James and Amy quickly sped away.

The rushing wind felt calming on Ash's singed face and he sat back in his seat, closing his eyes. James kept his eyes on the girl. She was now dressed in jeans and a button-up shirt with two holes for the wings to sprout out of the back.

"Where are we going?" Ash asked.

"My parents have a summer home along the shoreline." Amy said. "They're not around this year, so I've been hiding out there. We can dress your wounds once we arrive."

"How did you find us?" James spoke up rudely.

"I have a sister." She said slowly. "She's a member of Team Rocket. She handed me over for experimentation." She stared straight ahead, not bothering to look at either boy. "She was staying at the summer home earlier this year and she had some notes lying around when I arrived, including the password for her Poke-mail account. I logged on to her computer and checked it out. There were new messages about you two and a list of Rocket hideouts you were likely to strike against, the boat house being one of them. I was out getting ready to use this boat for my escape when I heard the explosion. I put two and two together and rushed over."

"How would they know…" Ash mused.

"Clearance level 3." James said. "That was what I was. It meant I was privy to a restricted amount of knowledge about hideout locations. They just listed all the bases available to Rockets with level 3 access."

"That would explain why Klaus was there." Ash said.

"There is still a matter of this girl putting us to sleep and robbing us." James growled, trying to sit up without straining anything. Amy reached into her pocket and pulled out a wad of bills held together by a rubber band. She tossed it over her shoulder. James caught it and examined the dollar amount.

"This should cover what I stole." Amy said. "I took it from my parents' safe. They have a lot more where that came from." At this point, she did turn to look at Ash. "I'm sorry for ditching you guys back in Garnet City, but I was scared and still under the effects of drugs." She turned her eyes toward James. "Can you blame me after what you said?"

"I suppose not." James pocketed the cash and grunted. "Don't think this changes my opinion, though."

"It does for me." Ash interrupted. "Thanks for saving our asses, Amy."

"You saved me first." She smiled at him sweetly. "This is just me repaying the favor."

"I appreciate it." Ash wheezed. "Is there a phone at your parents' place?"

"Of course. Why?"

"I need to make a call to a friend." Ash answered. "I don't think we're welcome here anymore."

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Ash grunted as Amy wrapped his body with white gauze. He was sitting on a wooden chair, gripping the handles. His black shirt was lying across the back of her couch. She had already taken care of his ankle, and was now working on his ribcage. "Not so tight." He moaned.

"Sorry." Amy said. "I just need to make sure it does what it's supposed to." Ash groaned in response and Amy kissed the back of his head to comfort him. Strangely, Ash found the gesture very soothing. "You should heal up to perfect health within a few days I think."

"Not perfect." Ash said. "Perfect would be not having this virus in me."

"You know what I meant." She said hastily. After a few seconds she spoke up. "Thanks for talking to James for me and convincing him to let me come with you."

"It didn't take too much effort. He's a jerk, but he's not totally callous." Ash looked up at James, who was standing by a nearby wall, talking on the video phone. He could see Bill's shocked expression in the video panel.

"What!?" Bill exclaimed. "Everything?"

"Yes. Pack up everything, check out of the hotel and get to the address I told you. You have a rental car, right?" Bill nodded. "Good." James continued. "Rush here as fast as you can without calling too much attention to yourself. The sun is already starting to come up. We need to get out of here and start driving to Topaz Town as soon as possible."

"May I ask what's going on?" He asked.

"Things just got complicated, Pointdexter." James said. "Really fucking complicated."

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By the time dawn arrived, the collapsed boat house was covered so heavily by reporters and news crews, it was a miracle any police work managed to get done. The field reporters tried to film the wreckage while waiting for a police officer to give an official report.

Officer Jenny stepped away from the investigation to address the crowd. All the reporters immediately turned and mobbed the woman. A flurry of questions flew her way.

"What happened here?"

"Was this an accident or arson?"

"Is this related to Team Rocket or the pokemon-people?"

Jenny held up her hands to try and silence the crowd. "We have confirmed several things and I am able to give a full report now." The group shut up quickly, pushing their microphones forward. "We have ascertained that this was not an accident, but an intentional attack on an old boat house. There are no signs of Team Rocket involvement; however we have reasonable belief that the two rogue hybrids are responsible for the attack. There are several bodies, but all have been identified as dock workers and fishermen."

There was frenzied murmuring among the reporters. "So are you saying Ketchum and his partner attacked civilians?"

"Were are not confirming it yet, but that is what appears to be the case." Jenny said. Cameras went off and many reporters turned back to their cameramen as Jenny pushed through the throng of people. She walked over to one of the several cars and stopped by a male officer who was leaning against the car hood.

"I'm stepping out for a bit, Officer Cody. You're in charge." She said. Cody saluted and headed over to the wreckage to continue the investigation. Jenny kept walking down the street, away from the massive grouping of the media. The rest of the town was silent by comparison; practically no one else was awake yet. She kept walking until she reached a building called Gino's Restaurant. There was a small dark alley next to the building and Jenny walked into the shadows. She advanced several yards until she reached a dumpster. She knocked on the lid three times.

From a side alley that branched off several paces ahead, a deep voice spoke up. "You did a good job out there. They definitely believed you."

"Why shouldn't they?" Jenny asked. She pushed her teal hair out of her face. "I have always been an amazing actor. You know that."

"Don't go getting a big head." The male voice said back. He stepped out of the alleyway. He was tall and muscular, but that was not what stood out about him. His entire body was encased in metal with several screws protruding from his body. His left arm had a faint red hue and his right arm was a light blue color.

"A big head? Me?" Jenny asked in mock surprise. "Perish the thought."

"I have to say, you look damn good like that." A female voice spoke up from the side alley. A lithe woman appeared from the shadows as if the darkness itself formed her into being. Her skin was pure black and she had small yellow circles scattered across her body. She didn't wear any clothes, but the pitch black skin concealed all defining characteristics, making it look as if she wore a skin-tight latex suit. "I'm having trouble keeping my hands off you." She said with a laugh.

Jenny pouted. "Why do you only seem to think I'm attractive when I look like a woman?"

"Enough of this pointless bickering." The steel man broke in. "Change."

"But…" Jenny started.

"Do it Clayton." He commanded. Jenny sighed, then her facial features, and the rest of her skin as well as her clothes, melted into thick pink goo. The ooze reformed into the body of a thin, gaunt man in leather pants and a leather jacket with blood red hair that drooped down over his eyes. He smiled to the woman.

"Still feel like putting your hands on me, Cassandra?"

"Hardly." Cassandra sighed. Clayton frowned and turned to the man covered in metal.

"Now what, O fearless leader?"

"Any news of Klaus' body?" He asked. Clayton shook his head.

"Whatever's left of him has probably already been devoured by Seakings." He put his hands on his hips.

"So where does that leave us, Voulger?" Cassandra asked.

"We continue with plan A." Voulger said, flexing a metal arm. "We may be one man short, but we have more than enough people to continue with Giovanni's idea. Clayton, you go hunt down targets Alpha and Theta. Cassandra, locate target Delta, then meet up with Giovanni. We've received news from our mole in the Pokemon League that they will be arriving in a few days and will be starting their search in Red Rock Valley. I'm sure the boss will need your help to set up the ambush. As for me…" Voulger pointed to himself. "I'm going after Ketchum and James."

"By yourself?" Clayton asked.

"Not quite." Voulger said. "You've been playing Jenny for so long, you must never have met the newest member of our team. Come on out, Zach." There was silence for a few moments, then a young man walked out of the side alley, his orange hair slicked back. He was wearing a heavy coat with a white fur-lined color. He pulled a cigarette out of his pocket and lifted up the wrong end to his lips. With a small breath, flames erupted from his mouth, lighting the end of the cigarette. Zach turned it around and put it in his mouth.

"Zach's an old friend of James." Voulger explained. "He's going to help track him down."

"You're not worried he'll turn on us?" Clayton asked.

"James is a traitor." Zach said in a monotone voice. The words were slightly slurred because of the cigarette. "He'll get what's coming to him."

"Now that's a man I could get behind." Cassandra purred. "Or should I say a man I could let get behind me." Zach stared at her out of the corner of his eye, but refused to acknowledge her comment. Clayton just huffed.

"Stop. We've lingered long enough." Voulger said. "Let's break apart and meet back up in a couple of days. Keep your communicators handy. Let's do what Klaus failed to." The other three nodded, and then they dispersed, leaving the alley as empty as it was a few minutes ago.

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The large passenger ship sailed through the endless sea toward the Violet Isles. Gary Oak leaned up against the rail of the ship, watching the sun come up over the horizon. He sighed, running a hand through his tussled hair. Bruno, the muscle-bound member of the Elite Four, was there with him, watching the young man.

"Are you okay, Gary?" He asked. "You don't seem right."

"I'm…fine." Gary said. "Just nervous."

"Are we still headed to Red Rock Valley?"

"That's the plan." Gary said, still looking out over the sea. "Just because I have insomnia doesn't mean you have to stay up. Go get some rest, like Lance and Lorelei are doing."

"I don't need the rest. I meditate often." Bruno said simply.

"If you insist." Gary said. "But I don't think I'll be good company." Bruno snorted, but didn't say anything else. Gary sighed and stared into the rippling water.

_Sorry, Ash. But I have to do this.  
_

End of Third Iteration

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**Outro:** Well, that certainly makes things interesting, doesn't it? Looks like trouble on the horizon for Ash and James. Will their new ally be enough to ward off four new enemies? Stay tuned for the next exciting Iteration! 

Ash's Move List - Vine Whip, Razor Leaf, Leech Seed

James' Move List - Slash, Swift, Earthquake, Sandstorm

Klaus' Move List - Slash, Fury Cutter, Swords Dance

Please leave a review if you liked or disliked this chapter and let me know why! Caio and see you soon with the beginning of the next Iteration!

- T.E.

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	9. Devastation

Intro: Hey everyone! Happy Holidays! Here's my gift to you: the next chapter in Hybrids: Outbreak! We're nearing the halfway point for the story and already have176 pages (I write them in Microsoft Word first) done. That's your cue to say "Wow." This is going to be an epic number of pages by the time I'm done. Anyway, enjoy this chapter. For shits and giggles, let's just say I don't own Pokemon or it's characters.

* * *

**Hybrids: Fourth Iteration**

**Strand 1: Devastation**

Ash groaned as a rough hand shook him awake. He opened his eyes slowly and the bright light pouring in from the windows flooded his vision. He snapped his eyes shut again and rolled his head over so he could face away from the intruding light. The movement was uncomfortable; he was laying on something that wasn't very accommodating.

As he came to, Ash realized he was sitting in a wooden chair with his head resting on a table. More specifically, his head was resting on a scattered pile of paper on the table. Ash slowly lifted his eyes and forced his eyelids open. He was in a large room with bookshelves on every wall. A piece of paper was stuck to his cheek and he blinked several times before finally removing it.

"About time." James said gruffly from behind him. "We don't have time to sleep all day. Quick naps were the deal, remember?"

"What time is it?" Ash mumbled, reality shifting in and out of focus.

"Four o'clock." James said. "Which means you've been asleep for five hours."

"I feel asleep before noon?" Ash asked. "I must have nodded off while reading." He looked across the table at Amy, whose head was similarly lying on top of a stack of paper.

"Huh." Ash grumbled rubbing his eyes. He looked down at the top sheet of paper. The words were jumbled about like a big black blur.

"Did you come across anything of use?" James asked.

"Not yet. So far just a bunch of transcripts back and forth between Amy's sister and some guy name Voulger. Rocket manifestos and such. Nothing about the virus at all."

"Well, there is still a stack of papers there, so keep going."

"Yeah, I know." Ash sighed. He rubbed his temples. "How's your side doing?"

"Fine." James said gruffly.

"You said that yesterday. And the day before. Yet, I still see you limping about."

"I'm feeling a lot better today." James growled. "Need me to challenge you to a fight so I can prove it?"

"No, thank you." Ash said. "That battle with Klaus pretty much drained me. My ribcage still feels like pounded veal."

"Get used to it." James said. "I have a feeling Klaus isn't going to be our only problem. If that bastard wasn't lying, there is probably going to be more Rocket Captains that have volunteered to become super soldiers."

"Wonderful." Ash said. "I don't want to know what will be coming our way next." He looked down at James' hands, which were planted on his hips. The bone claws were jutting out from under the knuckles.

"What the hell are you looking at?" James asked.

"Could you retract your claws?" Ash asked. "It freaks me out when you have them extended."

"No." James said simply.

"Well, fuck you too." Ash glared. "I just thought I'd ask nicely."

"No, I mean I can't." James said, lifting his right arm. "The claws are permanently extended now. I can't withdraw them under my skin."

"Seriously?" Ash asked, worried. "Why?"

"Do you ever see a Sandslash withdraw its claws?" James asked. Ash gulped and shook his head slowly. "Well, there you go."

"So you're regressing even further…" Ash bit his lip. "I don't know how much time we have left, James."

"You have a point there, Ketchum. So why don't you stop gawking at me like a slack-jawed Snorlax and get back to doing some fucking reading?"

"Can you keep it down?" Amy asked lazily. Both boys turned to look at her. Her head was still lying face-down on the table. "Some of us need our sleep."

"Sorry, girly." James said clapping his hands. "Sleep is a luxury around here. You wanted to come with us; you have to play by our rules. And that means getting back to those e-mails. There has to be something there that can help us reverse this curse. There might have been some files in that boathouse, but they were blown to pieces along with everything else in the building. So this is all we have going for us right now."

"Untrue!" Came a voice from the adjacent room. They all pivoted to stare at the doorway as Bill came into the room with several sheets of paper and a leather-bound book. "I have some updates for you."

"Oh, good." James said. "I hope this is more relevant than your last few 'discoveries'."

"Don't be so snide." Bill huffed. "If it weren't for me and my connections, you wouldn't have this library basement to hide out in, would you? You'd be aimlessly hiding in a back alley, waiting for the Topaz Town police to come pick you up."

"The update, Bill?" Ash interrupted, hoping to stop the fight before it started.

"Oh! Yes." Bill placed the book down on the table and held up two pieces of paper. There were some charts and pictures on each. "Take a look…the chart on the left is data based on your tissue sample, Ash. One the right is the sample from Miss Amy here." Amy blushed when Bill said that, but kept her eyes on the charts. Bill looked back and forth at each person as if expecting something. "Well? Notice anything?"

Ash and Amy looked at each other, then shrugged.

"Seriously?" Bill asked weakly.

"We don't have time for games, Pointdexter." James growled. Bill sighed.

"Fine, fine. Take a look here, if you will." Bill pointed to a section of one chart with varying degrees of fluctuation. "This corresponds with this image here." He shifted his finger to a blown image of a strand of DNA. "Do you see purple mass in Amy's structure?"

"Uh-huh." Ash nodded.

"Do you see it on your DNA structure anywhere?"

"No…"

"So! What does this tell us?" Bill asked, hoping Ash got the cues.

"She's…got…a violet virus?" Ash guessed. Bill groaned.

"Can it with the suspense!" James yelled. "What's the big fucking deal?"

"Amy's virus is sterile! It can't reproduce!"

"Like Klaus said his was?" Ash asked.

"Exactly. This confirms what he said…Giovanni has developed a virus that is unable to replicate. Thus, she is not suffering from the same deterioration issues as you two."

"How can that be?" Ash asked. "Amy was tested on before us, weren't you?"

"It's been a little more than four weeks now." She nodded.

"They only got to me and James two and half weeks ago." Ash gripped the sides of his head. "If he had already developed an advanced serum, why the hell did he infect us with an inferior sample?"

"Maybe it has less to do with being test subjects." James said softly. "Maybe he just wanted to hurt us."

"Hurt us?" Ash asked.

"Teach us a lesson, so to speak."

"Well, I can understand doing it to me." Ash said. "Seeing as how I messed up so many of his plans. But you?" Ash shook his head. "You were loyal to him, weren't you? Why would have any kind of grudge against you?" James didn't respond at first. "James?"

"I screwed up a lot of his plans too…just for being incompetent." James' voice was barely above a whisper. "That's probably why."

Ash was getting a vibe that James wasn't telling him the truth, but he also understood he wasn't going to get any more out of him right now. He coughed and cleared his throat.

"So this is interesting, Bill. But it doesn't really cheer me up at all."

"It should!" Bill grinned widely. "This is spectacular news!"

"Why is that? I'm relieved for Amy and all, but it doesn't ease me to know Giovanni's potentially has an advanced army of hybrids."

"Well, besides the sterility, does the virus you and Amy have contain any other differences?"

"Well she's a Butterfree and I'm a Bulbasaur, but I would guess not otherwise."

"Correct! So I can separate the sterile portions of the virus from the normal sections…"

"And determine what makes them sterile." James finished. "You can create an antidote from that, can't you?"

"Well, I should be able to make a serum that will turn them sterile, at any rate. It won't cure you, but-" He was cut off as Ash jumped up and threw his arms around the man.

"Haha!" Ash yelled happily. "Bill, you are a genius!"

"Well, of course." Bill said as Ash let go. He dusted off his suit. "I still need to do some research, so I better get back to it. Hopefully, I will have an answer to this riddle soon enough."

"Sooner rather than later, if you please." James said. He held up his hands. "I don't have a lot of time left."

"I'm working on it." Bill said testily. "You could make yourself useful and get me some food while I work." With that, Bill left the room. Ash turned to James, glaring.

"Would it kill you to show a little gratitude? He's risking his life for us."

"He'll get gratitude when I'm no longer a fucking Sandslash."

"Damn it, James!" Ash hissed back, the joy of Bill's statement draining from his body. "Why do you have to be such a goddamn ice block? You're so cold and callous it's disgusting."

"I'm so sorry my attitude offends you, twerp." James growled. "I'm not exactly happy about all this."

"You think I am?" Ash yelled back. "At least I know not to look a gift horse in the mouth!"

"Really?" James asked mockingly. "Is that why you left your friends behind, you judgmental hypocrite?"

"What the fuck is that supposed to mean?" Ash's glare strengthened. Amy slouched down in her chair.

"You had friends that were probably willing to stay with you, and you pushed them away. If that's not looking a gift horse in the mouth, I don't know what is!"

"You don't know a goddamn thing!" Ash stood up, knocking the chair over. "Fuck this and fuck you. You read the damn e-mails. I'm going outside for some fresh air."

"It's still daylight out, you stupid prick!" James yelled as he walked away.

"I'll wear my trench coat." Ash said simply.

"Fine! If the police hunt you down like an animal, I won't give two shits." James said at his back. Ash flashed James the middle finger, then left the room. James kicked the wooden chair at a far off bookshelf. The furniture splintered upon contact, a cloud of dust rising from the debris. Angrily, James stormed out of the room, grumbling to himself. Amy waited for him to leave before exhaling. The room had gotten strangely quiet. She bit her lip and went back to reading, hoping to take her mind off things.

o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o

With daylight quickly dimming, the man and woman walking down the Topaz Town streets began to hurry along so they could get back to their hotel room. They were silent for most of the journey, but eventually the woman bowed her head and sighed heavily.

"I chose wrong, didn't I?" She asked, red hair falling down in front of her eyes.

"We don't know that." The taller man responded. "He could still be here."

"We've been searching for close to four days, Brock." She sighed. "If he was here, we probably would have found him. He went to Port Sapphire. And he might not even be there if we leave now."

"C'mon Misty. That's not the right attitude." Brock said. He was growing worried for her. Her confidence in her ability to locate Ash had started to dwindle severely. Originally, Brock was pleased to see this because it meant she was going to give this wild goose chase up. But the effect it was having on her was horrifying. She was getting terribly depressed and he was starting to believe she was considering suicide. Just the previous night, he had caught Misty trying to swallow a bottle of sleeping pills. He had interrupted her and she claimed she just spilled the bottle on accident, but Brock could see she was lying.

"I don't know what to do, Brock." She closed her eyes. "I'm so lost…"

"I'm here. You can lean on me." Brock said.

"I know. It's just that…"

"Misty?" A voice hit her ears from a side alley. Misty stopped in her tracks. She knew that voice, but there was no way it could be him. She turned slowly, fearing any sudden movements would scare the voice away. Her eyes settled on an alleyway between two brick buildings. Sure enough, standing in the shadows in a brown trench coat, was Ash Ketchum. "Is that you Misty?" He asked softly.

"A-Ash?" Misty's voice failed her.

"No way…" Brock said simply, his eyes widening.

"ASH!" Misty screamed running across the street and into the alley. Ash extended his arms and Misty jumped into them. She threw her arms around his neck and buried her head in his shoulder. "Oh god, oh god, oh god, please don't let this be a dream."

"It's good to see you again." Ash said, wrapping his arms around her back and holding her tight. Tears streamed down from Misty's eyes freely and she cried into his shoulder.

"Ash, Ash, Ash." She muttered between sobs. "Oh god, Ash."

Brock appeared in the alleyway, too stunned to say anything. "Hey, Brock." Ash smiled at him.

"Ash…I don't…I mean…" Brock stumbled on his words. "How?"

"I can't believe I found you either." Ash smiled. Brock put his hands on Ash's shoulders.

"It…it's really you…" Brock said softly. "Oh man…I thought for sure I'd never see you again…"

"I'm here now." Ash said. "Do you mind just staying watch for any policemen for a second?" Brock nodded, wiped his eyes with his sleeve and turned back toward the street. Ash smiled and kissed the top of Misty's head. She was still crying uncontrollably, clutching to him in fear of losing him again. "Misty?" He asked.

"Don't leave me. Please. Don't leave me again." She was whispering softly, muffled by his coat.

"I'm sorry Misty." He whispered. "I'm sorry for what I did." He shifted his hands so his palms caressed her back. "And I'm sorry for what I'm going to do."

"What?" She asked softly, but her words turned into screams as two razor leaves penetrated her skin and tore into her back. Brock whipped around as Misty looked up at Ash with betrayal and sorrow in her eyes. Ash smiled, cupping her head in his hands. He moved quickly, slamming her forehead into the brick wall. She fell unconscious instantly and Ash let her go so she slumped to the ground in a small pool of blood.

"What the hell!?" Brock yelled. "Ash! What in the hell are you doing?"

"Y'know what, Brock?" Ash turned to him. "I am getting really sick of your voice." Two vines sprouted from his back and shot out at the man. Brock's eyes widened in surprise and he was unable to move out of the way. Ash swung him around, smashing his back against another wall. Brock groaned, but continued to struggle against Ash's grip. Ash stepped forward and belted Brock in the stomach. Brock wheezed and coughed up some blood onto his shirt. Ash drew his fist back and punched him again and again, causing Brock to convulse in the grip of the vines. Brock tried to kick Ash, but he was too weak. Once he ceased to fight back, Ash gave him one last punch, this time across the face. Brock's head tilted to the side and he fell into darkness. The vines let go and Brock tumbled to the ground next to Misty. Ash looked down at the two bodies, grinning with pride.

He reached into his coat pocket and pulled out a cell phone. He flipped it open, dialed a number and held into his ear. After a few seconds, he spoke up. "It's me. I have them." He waited for the voice on the other end to respond. "What do you mean 'who is this'? Who do you think this is?" Suddenly, Ash slapped his own forehead. "Right, sorry. Give me a second." Ash set the cell phone down, the closed his eyes as his facial features began to melt. His clothes and skin molded into a pink smile before reforming into the guise of Clayton. He adjusted his red hair, and then picked the phone back up. "Sorry, I forgot to change back…What? Of course I didn't kill them. I didn't even hurt them that much. The girl has got two leaves in her back, but they're hardly in her at all. Just enough to take the fight out of her...Yeah, the big guy is in a little worse shape, but nothing he won't recover from." He looked around. "No one saw me. Don't worry…Yeah, I'll bring them over to the base. It might be hard to do in the sunlight, so I'll wait for the sun to go down…See you later." He closed the phone's flip cover and put it back in his pocket. He grabbed Misty's arms and dragged her over behind a dumpster, then did the same with Brock. He leaned up against the garbage can and waited for dusk.

o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o

Ash stared up at the darkened sky from his perch on the roof of the library. He was lying down on the slanted roof, his feet firmly planted against the back of a gargoyle. He tapped the back of the statue for a few minutes, sighing to himself. His angry mind had long since faded and he was left with only his thoughts. He had watched the sun set and watched the stars come into view.

A drop of rain came down and hit Ash on the nose. He blinked a few times, then turned to the rain wouldn't hit his face. He wasn't interested in getting wet, so he walked back over to the eave with a window and crawled back indoors. He shut the window and walked over to a large picture of a Doduo that was hung between two bookshelves. He reached up and removed it from his hook. It revealed a doorway the led to a spiraling staircase leading downward. Ash walked through the doorway, replacing the picture behind him. He walked down the staircase until he reached the bottom, which led out into the dusty library basement. Bill was sitting in a chair at a table, scribbling busily on a pad of paper. "Bill?" Ash asked. "What's up?"

"Oh!" Bill looked up from his work. "I'm glad you came back in. Amy's been looking for you."

"I was only gone for a few hours." Ash said.

"I think she found something in those e-mails." Bill said. "You should go see her." Ash nodded and left the room. He walked into the common room and from there into one of the side study rooms. Amy was fast asleep on the cot Bill had set up for her. She was clutching a piece of paper in her hands. Ash walked up and knelt down by her. He shook her shoulder slightly. Amy blinked twice before fully opening her eyes.

"Ash?" She asked, yawning.

"Hey, sleepyhead." Ash smiled. "Sorry to wake you, but Bill said you had something to tell me?"

Amy immediately brightened and sat up. Any sign of being tired was wiped from her face. "Yes! I found something important in the e-mails." She held out the paper. Ash took it and began to read. "Apparently this Voulger gave my sister a list of all the laboratories where the hybrid experimentation is being done." She said excitedly.

"Is the list in her e-mails?" Ash asked.

"Sadly, no. But she did respond that she's keeping them in a safe place, which, knowing Cassandra, means that it's in her lock box."

"And where's that?" Ash cocked his head to the side.

"Back at my parents' Port Sapphire summer home." Amy explained. "We could go back tomorrow; it would only take a few hours to drive there if we borrow Bill's rented car."

"Excellent work!" Ash said. He gave Amy a quick hug. Amy blushed, but accepted his embrace. "I knew having you come with us would pay off." He smiled. "We'll leave tomorrow morning. Go ahead and sleep, you earned it."

"Thanks." Amy laughed and laid back down, putting her head on the pillow. Ash got up and walked out of the room. Amy sighed contentedly and drifted back into sleep.

Ash walked to James' room next. He stood outside the door, biting his lip. After a few seconds of indecision, he hurriedly knocked on the door. There was silence for a while, until James said: "Come in." Ash opened the door and walked in. James was sitting on the edge of his cot, tossing a small crystalline object up and down in his hands. His back was to the door. Ash walked in, closing the door behind him.

"Uh…James? I talked to Amy. She said that she found…"

"She told me already." James said. "I guess we're going back to Port Sapphire then."

"That seems like the best course of action."

"I doubt she left such important information in a lockbox." James said. "It's probably going to end up being a disappointment."

"It's worth a shot." Ash shrugged.

"Not like we have any other leads right now." James said. "I don't know if randomly going after Rocket hideaways is our best tactic anymore, now that we know what they're capable of."

"Yeah." Ash's eyes were watching the small object James was playing with. "James? What are you playing with?"

James didn't respond. He tossed it up a few more times before stopping and holding it up in the air. It was a transparent purple charm, as if it was made of stained glass. It was in the shape of a Koffing. James held it out in the open for a few more moments before going back to tossing it around and catching it.

"A Koffing charm?" Ash asked.

"It was a gift." James said simply. He laughed softly. It would have sounded out of place for James, but the laugh held no joy. "It's so fragile; I'm surprised it hasn't broken yet." Ash was silent for a while.

"It was from Jessie, wasn't it?" He said eventually. James stopped playing with the charm. He held it tightly in his hand.

"No one else really bothered to remember my birthday." He said simply. "I only ever got gifts from her."

"You love her, don't you?" Ash walked closer to James.

"Does it matter if I do?" He responded after several seconds.

"It should give you something to live for." Ash said. "Rather than throwing your life away like you're doing now. You're regressing so fast because you want to. You don't fight the animal inside; you embrace it."

"And I'm alive because of it. It's that animal that keeps me, and you, alive." James' tone was harsh, but not angry. "Your refusal to give in to your urges has nearly cost you your life several times. I'm not going to make that mistake."

"But what about Jessie?"

"She gave me up to Giovanni." James said. "You know that already. That pretty much means the feelings are pretty unrequited."

"She may not have had a choice." Ash said.

"It still doesn't matter." He said softly. "We're light years apart now." Ash put his hand on James' shoulder to try and comfort him. James moved his arm so suddenly, Ash jumped. James chucked the crystal Koffing at the wall. It hit and shattered into hundreds of small pieces. "Opposite ends of the fucking universe."

Ash stared at the pile of shattered crystal, then shook his head and headed to the door. _James needs to be alone now._

"He wants her." James said out of the blue.

"What?" Ash asked, turning around.

"Giovanni. He wants Jessie. He lusts after her constantly." James' voice was quiet as he ever heard it. "I told Giovanni about my feelings for Jessie once. He gave me the nastiest look I had ever seen. He told me I was forbidden to express those feelings to any Rocket, especially Jessie. He said the reason was because of conduct, but I know the true reason. I saw it in his eyes. He wants Jessie for himself." He stared at the wall, unmoving. "That is why he did this to me. That is why he wants to hurt me."

"Oh." Ash said simply.

"Get out." James sighed. "I want to be alone."

"Yeah, okay." Ash said. He walked to the door and opened up.

"And Ash?" James added. "Thanks…for saving me back at the boathouse."

"…" Ash blinked in surprise. "Uh…your welcome, James."

"I don't hear you leaving." James said gruffly, as if he never said anything "Get the fuck out." Ash smiled and closed the door behind him. He walked over to his room. A potential antidote for a spreading virus, clues to there next destination, and now a full night of sleep. He reached into his pockets and pulled out a handful of grass. He looked around to make sure no one was watching, then he stuck it in his mouth and began to chew on it. Things were finally starting to look up.

To Be Continued…

* * *

**Outro:** Oh, snap! Anyone else eager to read the next chapter to see what happens? I know I am! Which means I have to write it first. Here's your obligatory move list for quick refrence and such.

Ash's Move List - Vine Whip, Razor Leaf, Leech Seed

James' Move List - Slash, Swift, Earthquake, Sandstorm

Amy's Move List: Sleep Powder

Clayton's Move List: Transform

Well, have a nice holiday everyone. I may have another chapter up before Christmastime, but don't bank on it.Maybe before the year's end if things aren't too busy on my end. See you around and don't forget to review!

- T.E.


	10. Mutation

**Intro: **Hello faithful readers ( and you new ones too). Thank you so much for waiting so long as my I got my computer repaired. Well, I just got my laptop back Friday afternoon and as I promised: here is the next part of the story. It's a real doozy too. The longest chapter I've ever written, clocking in at 35 pages long. I thought about splitting it in two, but couldn't find a place I liked to do it. So you get one mega-long update, which you deserve for being so patient. I really like this chapter and I hope you enjoy reading it as much as I enjoyed writing it. As per the norm, I don't own Pokemon or it's characters.

**Hybrids: Fourth Iteration**

**Strand 2: Mutation**

The room was as dark as night; not even the slightest glimmer of light was visible. When Misty came to, she couldn't see anything. Her head was pounding like a drum and her entire body was sore. It felt like she couldn't move an inch.

She struggled a bit and realized she couldn't move because she was chained upright to something by her wrists. Her arms were above her head and her feet were dangling above the ground, but she couldn't make out how far away it was. She grunted and tried to move, but she felt too weak to so much as lift her legs. She could faintly smell blood, but it was a lingering odor.

_Ash did this? _She thought to herself, her memories now returning to her. Tears started to roll down her face. _No way…there's no way that could happen…He's my friend. I don't care if he's losing his mind, he wouldn't do this to us…Would he?_ Her resolve started to give out and she just wanted to dissolve into a fit of tears. _Ash…I was so close…He was right there…_

"B-Brock?" She asked weakly. "Are you there?" From somewhere close by, there was a low grunting. "Brock?" She asked again, but this time, she got no response.

"I don't think he can understand you." Came a voice from the corner of the room. Misty turned her head in the direction quickly. It killed her neck to do so. "I think he's still trying to recover from his concussion."

"What's going on?" Misty asked as calmly as she could. "Where are we?"

"It doesn't really matter." The man replied. "You can't do anything about it. You might as well just rest."

"Could you at least turn on some lights?" She asked. The man laughed lightly.

"Sure, why not." There was some scuffling, then a flick of a switch. Bright overhead lights turned on, illuminating the room. Misty closed her eyes from the harsh light, waiting for her eyes to adjust before trying to open them again. There was some mild grunting from Brock and rattling of chains. Misty took a look around the room. It was like some kind of bland jail cell; four grey walls no windows. She realized she was chained to a large, thick pillar in the center of the room. Brock must be chained to the pillar on the opposite side. Her feet were just a few inches off the ground. She looked toward the where the voice was. There was a large metal door and a wooden chair. Standing between them was a thin, gaunt man with red long red hair that drooped in front of his eyes.

"Well, hello there. How's your head?" The man smiled. Before Misty could speak, the man continued. "How rude of me. I never introduced myself." He gave her a formal bow. "My name is Clayton Arriami."

"You…you're with Team Rocket aren't you?" Misty asked. Clayton straightened and looked down at his tight leather jacket. A red 'R' was emblazoned on the front.

"You are a clever one, Miss Waterflower." Clayton chuckled. "I suppose that's what the boss sees in you."

"Where's Ash?" Misty asked quietly. It was question that burned the forefront of her mind; a question that she needed to know the answer to, even if she wasn't sure she really wanted to. _Could he really have joined with Team Rocket?_

"Hmm?" Clayton gave her a bemused look. "Ash?" His expression turned into a grin. "Ah, yes. The Ketchum boy."

"You know where he is?" Misty asked. "Can I see him?"

"Why, you sure can." Clayton said. "Just give me a moment, and I will get him for you." Clayton spread his arms out and his body began to dissolve into a pink goop. Misty's mouth hung open in shock and surprise. _He's like a ditto_! Clayton reformed into a human form again, this time a mirror image of Ash, green skin and all. Misty gasped.

"Is this what you were looking for?" The new Ash asked, his voice matching perfectly. Misty stammered a few words, trying to form a sentence. Brock grunted a question without words at all. "Remarkably similar, huh?"

"It wasn't Ash in that alley, was it?" Misty finally said. "It was…you."

"Very astute." Ash said, laughing. "I can take any form I want." He melted away again and came back as Ash as he was before the experiment. "This is how you remember him best though, isn't it?"

"…Ash." Misty couldn't process all this. Looking into the brown eyes of 'Ash' was causing her mind to seize up. She couldn't deal with her enflamed memories.

"Well, as long as I'm in this form, let's have a little fun, huh?" Ash walked up to Misty with a smile. "I know what you want. I heard you moaning his name while you were unconscious in that alley." He reached out and cupped her chin in his left hand. He licked his lips hungrily. Misty's eyes widened and she tried to struggle out of the chains. "What's wrong, Misty? Don't you want me?" Ash asked tauntingly.

"No…not like this." Misty mumbled to herself.

"Have you kissed him yet? I bet you haven't. How would you like to have your first kiss with Ash right now?"

Brock grunted angrily from the other side of the pillar. Ash laughed. "C'mon baby." He moved in closer to Misty's face. The girl squeaked and tried to avert her head. Suddenly, Ash turned Misty's face to side and licked her from her cheek up to her ear. Misty's eyes widened in disgust.

"Mmm…you do taste good." Ash smiled. He reached out and cupped her left breast in his hand. He began to squeeze it roughly. Misty grunted in pain and tried to shake him off. Ash laughed and nibbled on her ear.

"STOP IT!" Misty screamed.

"Aw, I thought you'd enjoy this." Clayton removed his hand and backed off. "Well, if you're not going to appreciate me looking like this, then I'm not going to put in the energy pretending to be someone else." Ash melted away and the body reformed into Clayton. "It's going to be just you and me now. I like it when girls scream, so give me a nice one, okay?" He placed his hand on her thigh and began to run it up under her shorts. Misty went beet red and tried to struggle away from him. She gasped as she felt his fingers reach the top of her legs.

"Y'know, I've always wanted to nail one of the Cerulean Sensational Sisters." He grinned maliciously. "But I guess you'll have to do." Brock began to trash recklessly in anger. Misty cried out in torment. Clayton licked his lips and started to push her underwear to the side.

"If you don't let go of her right now, the only thing getting nailed around here will be your coffin lid." A female voice said from the doorway. Clayton's back immediately stiffened and he removed his hand from Misty's shorts. The girl exhaled sharply in relief.

"Cassandra, of all people, I think you'd be the last to stop me." Clayton said impatiently. Misty looked over at her savior. She was pure black all over, like the nighttime sky in human form, except for several small yellow circles.

"Well, you perverted little man, I wouldn't wish you upon any woman." Cassandra laughed. Clayton just scowled at her.

"You just want her for yourself!" He exclaimed.

"Maybe." Cassandra smirked. "But the Boss also said she wasn't to be defiled. You're lucky Clayton. I saved your miserable hide."

"Bitch." He hissed.

"Now go see the Boss. I found the third target. I think he wants you to go get her."

"Of course." Clayton spat on the ground. "I'll just go then."

"Yes. You will." She said. Clayton turned to Misty and winked.

"We'll pick back up where we left off later, sweet cheeks." He said lecherously. Misty shuddered in fear and nausea. The mental reminders of his fingers on her private skin made her sick. Clayton smiled and left the room. Cassandra walked over to her.

"He's gone. He won't come back." She said. "Now sleep."

"Why are you helping me?" She asked. "Aren't you a Rocket too?"

"Yes, I am. And I'm certainly not helping you." Cassandra smiled. "But right now, I'm only here for the man."

"Brock?" Misty asked. "What are you going to do to him?" Her eyes widened. "You're not going to make him half Pokemon are you?"

"No, no. We have something else in mind for the two of you. And right now, he has something we need." She snapped her fingers and a small platoon of Rockets came into the room. They unshackled Brock and drug him out of the room. The big man was too out of it to fight back.

"Brock!" Misty yelled. Her screams were in vain. The Rockets soon pulled him out of the room. "Why are you doing this?" Misty cried out.

"Because we're Rockets." Cassandra shrugged. "And we're going to take over this world." She turned around and walked out the door, flicking the light switch as she left. The room was once again plunged into total darkness. And Misty was alone. She began to cry softly. She didn't want to be alone again, but she couldn't do a thing about it.

_I am so sick of crying._ She thought. _But I don't have the energy to do anything else._

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The looming city of Port Sapphire was once again coming into view in the shimmering moonlight. Ash grimaced and his fingers curled tightly around the steering wheel. It had only been a few days since they were last here, so it was sure to be crawling with people looking for them. They had told Bill to stay behind at the library to continue his research; it was just him, James and Amy now. His hands were starting to shake a small bit. He could feel the fear course through his veins. The fear of being caught and the consequences it might mean.

"I was worried at first, but you drive pretty well for a guy that spends most of his time wandering by foot." James said from the back seat of the car. Ash glared back at him through the rear view mirror.

"I have had time to practice." He said indignantly.

"I'm just glad I don't have to do it." James said. "All that foot work causes my side to flare up like Charmander's tail."

"Okay, if we want to take an out-of-the-way shortcut, turn right on Elm Street up ahead." Amy said from the passenger's seat. She adjusted her large trench coat uncomfortably. Ash and James only had male-sized coats, so the one they gave her was a little too big for her lithe frame. Plus, they had to cut two holes for her wings which, as flexible as they were, were a pain in the ass to work with.

"All right." Ash nodded and kept his eye out for the turn.

"So let's go over this again." James said. "Just so I know you've got it."

"I've got it." Ash sighed. "We're going to get out at Amy's place. Then you're going to go to the ruins of the boathouse to do some investigating. Once you're done there, you come back for us. We should be done by then and we leave." Ash shrugged. "Easy."

"And if something goes wrong?"

"If you're not back in an hour, we go ahead and leave without you."

"Bingo." James nodded.

"What kind of investigating are you doing, anyway?" Amy asked, turning around.

"Those files I wanted might still be intact." He said. "It's possible that the filing cabinet survived both the explosion and collapse intact. As long as we're in the area, it's worth checking out."

"It's probably going to be swarming with police." Ash said.

"In which case, I'll get out of there as quick as I can." James said. "I'm not an idiot. I'll be able to handle it."

"If you insist." Ash said. "Right or left here?"

"Left." Amy said. "My parents' house should be coming up on the left side." Sure enough, a few moments later, Amy pointed to the large house on the lakefront that Ash remembered from earlier that week.

"We're here." Ash said. He pulled into the driveway and parked the car. Amy got out and looked up at the building in front of her.

"Funny. I thought I was going to be leaving this place for good, any now I'm right back where I started."

"Only for half an hour or so." Ash replied, stepping out of the vehicle. "Then we're on our way again." He turned around and tossed the keys to James. "She's all yours, buddy." James caught them, then tossed the keys right back. In surprise, Ash barely managed to catch them.

"I'm walking." James said. "I can't be stealthy in a car."

"But it's too far away to walk to!" Amy protested.

"I'll walk fast." James said. "Now stop arguing and get to opening that lockbox."

"Fine. Don't be long." Ash crossed his arms.

"I won't be." James said and turned away from them. He readjusted his trench coat, than began to slink away into the darkness. Ash shrugged and held his arm out.

"Ladies first." He said. Amy giggled.

"Plus it's my house and I have the key." She smiled and stepped up the front door and unlocked it. She pushed the door open and the duo went inside.

"I hope no one's home." Ash said as he closed the door.

"Who would be?" Amy said. "Besides, there was no car in the garage. I think we're safe." She walked over to the staircase. "Follow me, we'll head up to the guest room."

"The lockbox is in there?" Ash asked incredulously.

"No, but that's where she keeps her list of passwords. She has five or six that she routinely cycles through. We just need to find the one she put on her box."

"You know a lot about your sister's personal belongings." Ash said.

"We're really close." Amy said, then faltered. She drooped her head and her voice lowered in volume. "I mean we _were_ close. Until she joined Team Rocket."

"Why'd she do it?" Ash asked.

"I don't know." Amy sighed. She sat down on the stairs. "She was never a maladjusted kid or anything. A little attention-starved maybe, but that would be my fault. Once I was born, my parents tended to focus on me. Cassandra's a good person, or at least she was. One day, she up and left to join the Rockets. The next time I saw her, she had kidnapped me and brought me to their boss so he could do this to me." She tugged on her large Butterfree wings. "I don't know what's gotten into her. I really don't."

"Sorry I brought it up." Ash said. "I should have guessed it was a sore topic."

"No, it's all right." Amy smiled. "It feels good to talk to someone about it."

"Well, you can talk to me." Ash said with a smile. "I'll always listen."

"Thanks, Ash." Amy touched his upper arm lightly. "You've been so nice to me, even when we first met. I owe you so much."

"No, I don't." Ash insisted. "You're doing more than your fair share of work to make us even."

"Not in my eyes. You saved me in the breeding facility. I hope that I can one day make it up to you." She looked up at him with bright eyes. "I will do anything for you."

Ash coughed and blushed deeply. "Uh…Amy? Let's just go find those passwords, okay?"

"Okay." Amy sighed and stood up. "We wouldn't want to infuriate James."

"Tell me about it." Ash said. The two hybrids made their way into the guest room. It was pretty plain, but had all the basic furnishings; a bed, dressers, closets, a floor lamp and a desk. "Where do we look first?" Ash asked. "The desk?"

"No need to hunt for it." Amy said, walking over to the large wooden dresser. "I know where it should be." She pulled out the second drawer as far as it would go. She reached in and began to feel around on the bottom of the top drawer. After a second, she smirked. "Aha!" Ash heard the sound of tape ripping as Amy pulled a piece of paper out. It was folded up and Amy quickly opened it fully.

"Is that it?" Ash asked.

"Yeah. The passwords are all a series of nine letter words or phrases. Like Poliwrath."

"Well, all right. Let's go open this lock box."

"It's in the attic." Amy said. "I'll show you were the draw string is to pull down the ladder."

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James dodged the streaks of illuminated moonlight as he snuck behind any object he could find that would hide him from public view. Much to his chagrin, the place the boathouse you to stand on was still overwrought with reporters and curious citizens. If they were here now, at this hour, then it was probably buys 24 hours a day.

He peered up from behind an azalea bush. Well, his original idea was shot to hell, but…His attention turned to the large metal cargo crates that lined up near the boat house. No one was paying attention to that. Granted, it was still close by to the ruins and was still a major risk, but James wasn't about to leave empty-handed. Any clue would help at this point.

He got down on his stomach and crawled down the hill toward the docks. He managed to stay out of sight, and the fact that everyone was facing the boathouse helped matters as well. He got to his feet slowly, pressing his back against the nearest metal cargo box. He slunk around the edge toward the opening. Quick as a flash, he moved inside it and out of view.

The ceiling was at least six feet over his head and it was several yards deep. James moved his way toward the back. There were lots of crates and barrels, but these were all standard goods. He was looking for something else.

He searched until he found a barrel that had large red letters on it that read: **Fragile! Do Not Move!** James smirked and pushed the wooden cylinder out of the way. Under it was a trapdoor with a padlock on it. This is where Team Rocket kept their goods; safely hidden away. He knelt down and picked up the lock before immediately frowning. It was broken. Someone had already gotten here.

He pulled the lock free and opened the door. Oddly enough, all the crates and supplies were still there. Which means it wasn't a theft. _But if not to steal, why would anyone break into a secret cargo bay?_

Suddenly, one busted crate caught James' attention. Apparently, something had been stolen. James reached down and pulled the crate up to eye level. He read the label on the box, scowling as he tried to fit the puzzle pieces in place. Then two interlocking pieces came together. James' eyes widened. "Fuck!" He hissed. He dropped the crate and closed the hatch. He didn't bother to move the barrel back. He just jumped out of the metal container and ran back the way he came.

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Amy sighed in frustration. She had tried six of the seven combinations on the piece of paper Ash was holding. Poliwrath, Moonstone, even Sudowoodo, which was Cassandra's favorite Pokemon growing up, had failed. Amy was on her last chance.

"C'mon TopazTown." She mumbled. "Please be right." She entered the combo into the lock and pulled on it. It didn't budge an inch. Amy cried in frustration and dropped the lock. "Dammit! It didn't work!"

"That's all we have left." Ash said. "No more on the paper."

"Shit!" Amy said. "Now what?"

"Any other ideas?" Ash asked.

"No!" Amy groaned. "I think it starts with an S…It seemed loose on one end when I tried Sudowoodo. But there are so many things it could be!"

"Serenity?" Ash guessed. "No, shit. That's only eight." He scratched his head. "What about Salvation?"

"Doesn't make any sense." Amy said. "Stargazer? Shroomish? I just don't know!"

"How about…Sister Amy?"

"Huh?" Amy asked looking over at him.

"SisterAmy." Ash said. "Makes sense and has nine letters." Amy bit her lip, then entered it into the combination lock. She pulled on it and latch sprung free. "Sweet! It worked!" Ash punched the air.

"Sister Amy?" The girl asked herself. "Why…why would she use that?"

"C'mon Amy! Let's open it and split this joint."

"R-right." Amy nodded, grabbed the lid and opened the box. Suddenly, the lights suddenly went out and the room was thrust into total darkness. "Hey! What gives?" Amy asked,

"Power outage." Ash said. "Maybe the fuse box blew."

"I can't tell what's what anymore." Amy groaned.

"Try and discern the letters we need." Ash said, standing up. "I'll look for the fuse box and see what's going on."

"It's in the basement." Amy said. "Right after the stairs." Ash nodded and trekked down the stairs to the first floor again. He turned and fumbled around for a door where Amy said there would be one. Sure enough, he found a wooden door and opened it up. He felt around with his foot and realized there was a set of stairs leading down to the bottom. He made his way to the bottom and began to feel around for the fuse box. He eventually came across it and opened it up. He reached for the large handle that controlled the main power supply. Oddly enough, it was switched down, which is the traditional 'off' position. Sure, it could just be a different model with reversed settings, but what if it wasn't? That meant it was shut off manually. Ash quickly flipped the switch up, and the lights immediately flickered on throughout the house, even in the basement. Ash turned and found himself face to face with Klaus.

"Holy shit!" Ash exclaimed and jumped back just in time to miss a swing of Klaus' arm. His glare was dark and focused; all of his cockiness and confidence was replaced by anger and determination.

"Surprised, Ketchum?" Klaus hissed. Ash got a chance to take a good look at his opponent. He was still wearing a ripped up Rocket outfit, but that was the only thing similar. The right half of his face was badly burnt and scabbed. His wings had grown back in place. His skin was no longer green, but instead a bright red, and it shone in the light like it was made of steel. His hands were no longer in the form of scythes, but instead in the shape of a claw-like pair of scissors.

"What the…" Ash grumbled. "You…you evolved."

"Into a Scizor." Klaus agreed. "You shouldn't have just left me for dead without checking to make sure."

"You got blown up!" Ash yelled.

"And I have plenty of permanent burns to prove it." He ran the outside of his scissor-like hands against his face. "You scarred me, boy. Now I will get the chance to repay the favor." Klaus ran forward, wings beating like mad. He opened his scissor grip and tried to grab at Ash's throat. Ash ducked out of the way and ran to the side. Klaus growled and struck out again, snapping his claws at Ash.

Ash hopped backwards and two vines burst free from his back. They shot forward and wrapped around Klaus' wrists, pulling them apart, leaving his chest exposed. Ash lunged forward, driving his fist into the other man's sternum. There was a loud crack and Ash's eyes widened when he realized it came from his hand. He recoiled sharply, his hand throbbing in pain. He tried to move his hand around and realized he had broken two fingers.

"Forget that Scizors are covered in metal, Ketchum?" Klaus laughed. "You were smarter last time we fought." He brought his hands around so Ash's vines were inside his scissor grip and clamped down, severing the vines. Ash screamed in pain and what was left of the vines retreated back into Ash's body. Klaus smirked and dashed forward, snapping his claws rapidly. Ash ducked, dodged and weaved as quick as he could, barely managing to stay away from Klaus' attacks.

_He's gotten even faster!_ Ash's mind raced in horror. _I can barely keep up with him! _His rib cage was starting to throb in pain from their last battle and Ash was getting winded quickly. Klaus seemed to notice this and he dove in quickly, grabbing Ash by the throat with his right claw. Ash struggled for a moment until he realized every movement he made was simply allowing the sharp edge of the inside of Klaus' claws to cut his neck. He let himself go as limp as possible.

"Well this was disappointing." Klaus said. "Thankfully, I'm not here for a battle. I just want to kill you." He began to close his grip. Ash could feel the sharp edges cut into his throat. He grunted and grabbed onto Klaus' wrist, but it didn't do anything to stop him. "But…" Klaus seemed to mull it over. "No, not like this." He swung his arm around, releasing Ash from the grip and sending him flying across the room and into a cement wall. The collision knocked the air from the boy's lungs and he collapsed onto the ground. Blood was freely flowing out of his neck and down his collarbone, soaking his trench coat and shirt. Ash wheezed and hacked, clutching his throat to try and stop the bleeding.

"No, you made me suffer." Klaus had a dead smile on his face. "And I want you to know what it's like to be burned alive."

"Augh!" Ash screamed, holding his hands out. A flurry of razor leaves shot out of his arms like rain. Klaus didn't so much as flinch. Each leaf hit his metal skin and bounced off harmlessly.

"What was that?" He asked. "How pathetic." He laughed and stepped forward.

"Ash? What's going on down there?" Came a female voice from above them. Klaus turned to the stairs and smiled. Ash's eyes widened in horror.

"Well, well, well. How about that." Klaus smiled. "I thought I'd have to hunt the girl down, but it looks like she's going to come to me." Ash snarled and fought to get to his feet.

"Leave her alone." Ash hissed, although the blood in his mouth and throat made it sound much more garbled. Klaus seemed bemused at this.

"Really. And if I don't?" The man asked. Ash growled a curse and ran forward at Klaus, vines bursting free from his skin and dashing toward his feet. Klaus smirked and jumped into the air. His wings started to beat furiously and it gave him enough lift to leap right over Ash's head. Ash turned around quickly, trying to cut down on his momentum. His mouth hung agape as he saw Klaus turn around in mid-air as well. His wings began to beat again, and the Rocket dived down at Ash like a missile.

_Arial Ace!_ Ash gasped in awe. His vines turned and shot up at Klaus, but it was too late. Klaus drew back and brought his scissor-like fist on Ash's head. It was a blunt hit, but the metal of his fist was enough to send Ash to the ground. Blood shot from Ash's neck wounds and his mouth like small geysers erupting. He collapsed onto the ground, vomiting up the contents of his stomach. The yellow-green mixture was swirled with dark red blood.

"Disgusting." Klaus sniffed. "Next thing you know, you'll be shitting yourself too."

"Go…to…Hell." Ash managed to make out. He tried to push himself up with his arms, but Klaus put his foot on his back and pushed him back down into his own vomit.

"Maybe I should tear your limbs from their sockets." Klaus said. "Let you know how it feels."

"Don't touch him!" Amy screamed at Klaus. The man turned his head quickly to see Amy standing on the stairs. She was staring right at them, her eyes wide with fear. "You leave him alone!"

"Heh." Klaus bent down and put his claw around the back of Ash's neck. "I think I may just kill him now, in front of you."

"No you won't!" She yelled and her wings began to flutter back and forth.

"Oh? Are you going to fly away, girly?" Klaus chuckled. Suddenly, his clothes started to waver like in a small breeze. "Huh?" He asked, seconds before a major blast of wind sent him hurtling across the room and into the far wall. The impact of metal body on cement wall caused both to chip and crack.

Amy quickly ran down and knelt by Ash. "Ash! Ash! Speak to me!"

"Amy?" Ash asked weakly. "Whirlwind?"

"C'mon, let's get you out of here." She put his arm around her shoulders and slowly lifted him up. He was heavier than her, but Ash managed to support enough of his own weight to make it easier on her. She began to hobble toward the stairs.

"You're not leaving that easily, girly!" Klaus shouted, running back across the room at them. Amy pivoted suddenly and stared right into Klaus' eyes. Here pupils flashed white for a second and Klaus stopped dead in his tracks. He yelled and stumbled backwards as if something had struck him between the eyes.

"Don't underestimate me. I'm not some weak little girl." Amy said harshly.

"Where are you?" Klaus yelled angrily, stumbling about as if drunk. He swung his scissor claws around wildly, trying to hit imaginary targets.

"He'll be confused for a while longer." Amy said. "Let's go." She managed to make her way up the stairs and into the kitchen. She set Ash down in one chair, then pulled another over to the basement stairs. She closed the door and then jammed the chair back under the handle.

"That won't keep him out." Ash sputtered, blood still leaking down out of the corner of his mouth.

"It'll do for now." Amy said and walked over to him. She grunted and shuddered.

"Are you okay?" Ash asked worriedly.

"Y-yeah. I'm just not used to these psychic attacks, that's all." She shook her head. "They cause my head to pound. Besides, you're the one Klaus tenderized back there. How are you doing?"

"Fine." Ash lied. "I'll be fine, anyway. Let's just get to the car. Do you have the documents?" Amy nodded. "Good. We can just leave Klaus here."

There was a pounding on the basement door followed by enraged screams. Ash growled and tried to stand up. He found it hard to achieve balance. "You can't get up yet!" Amy exclaimed.

"We don't have a choice." Ash said. He removed his hand from his neck. The cuts in his throat had almost entirely healed. "We're almost out of time." Suddenly, the door splintered into wooden shrapnel and shot across the room. Ash covered his eyes from the shrapnel blast and Amy followed suit. He didn't dare leave his eyes closed any longer, however. When he opened them again, Klaus was standing in the doorway, breaking a large enough hole in what was left of the door so he could fit through.

"Correction. You _are_ out of time!" The Rocket growled and dove forward, his scissor-like claws snapping furiously. Ash spun around and grabbed the chair he was sitting in, lifting it up and wedging the leg in Klaus's grips. He cut through it easily and Ash was soon left with a legless chair. "No explosives for you this time, runt." Klaus snarled. He snapped forward, but Ash ducked down and rolled to the side. Pain was enflaming his chest like a fire spreading through him, but now was not the time to dwell on it.

Klaus spun around in time to meet Amy's eyes. Her pupils flashed white momentarily. When she could see normally again, she was greeted by Klaus' metal appendage as it slammed her in the face. She flew back against the refrigerator, blood dripping down out of her nose. "W-why didn't it work?" She mumbled.

"You need perfect eye contact." Klaus grinned. "I was able to see it coming and blinked." The grin disappeared from his face and he grunted in pain as Ash broke the remaining piece of chair against the back of the Rocket's head.

"Did you see that coming?" Ash asked. Klaus pivoted in the boy's direction and was surprised to see his vines had already burst free from his back. They wrapped around the man's wrists and held them out. With a great use of energy, Ash lifted Klaus off the ground and swung him into the glass patio door next to them. Klaus' body shattered the glass and crashed into the wooden planks of the deck. Ash retracted his vines and ran over to Amy. "Let's get out of here."

"No! You aren't leaving until I'm done with you!" Klaus stumbled to his feet. "I'm not down for the count yet!"

"You're not going to get back up either." Amy said, her wings beginning to beat furiously. A large gust of wind blasted out through the broken glass door at Klaus. The man felt his balance shifting and he let out a low growl.

"I'm getting sick of you, girly." He jumped up into the air before the major breeze could push him over. His wings started to move and it lifted him into the air. Ash's eyes widened and he grabbed Amy's arm. Klaus straightened out and dove back into the house like a guided rocket.

"MOVE!" Ash yelled and yanked her away from where she was. Klaus' claw edges severed the wires running up above the fridge as his dive ended at the wall. He didn't crash, but instead landed on the ground harmlessly. Several sparks shot out from the broken wiring.

"I think I'm going to clip those wings of yours, bitch." Klaus used his right hand to push Ash to the side and brought his left arm around to knock Amy to the floor. She hit the ground hard, gasping in pain from the collision. Klaus got to his knees and brought his right arm back, scissors opening. Amy squealed in fright. "On second thought, maybe I'll just go right for the neck."

"AMY!" Ash yelled and dove toward them. He used his right hand to protect Amy's neck and brought his left up to catch Klaus' descending wrist. Ash caught the gleam in Klaus' eye and realized that he was expecting this. As if this was what he wanted all along. He brought his left arm around and grabbed Ash's arm at the wrist. Ash could feel the metal edges cut his skin. "Oh, fuck." Was all Ash could get out. There was a very sharp and sudden sound of metal piercing skin, then muscle, and finally bone. Ash's hand let go of Klaus' wrist and fell limply to the ground with a sickening splat. There was vacuum of sound for only a second before Ash screamed in agony. He clutched his wrist as blood shot from the open wound like a hose. He collapsed to the ground, unable to come to grips with the blinding pain. Klaus grinned and got to his feet, stepping on Ash's limp, lifeless hand as he rose.

"Ash!" Amy screamed in horror as she watched her protector writhe uncontrollably. The color slowly drained from his screaming face.

"Now, this seems more poetic." Klaus smiled. "Wings for a hand. Now I just have to burn your face, then I can kill you. First though, let's have you watch me take care of the girl you so horribly failed to protect."

"Augh! You b-bastard!" Ash screamed out, his words slurred from the pain. "My god-d-damn arm…"

"Wrap it up, Ash!" Amy said. "Use pressure to stop the bleeding! I'll hold this asshole off."

"Will you now?" Klaus laughed. "This I have to see." He let Amy get to her feet while Ash fumbled with his shirt and tried to wrap up his wrist. Klaus crossed his arm, a smirk of smugness returning to his face. "I have to admit. I was almost worried you'd escape for a second. Almost."

"I'm not escaping anymore." Amy hissed. "You're going to pay for what you did to Ash."

"It's so cute when you're unjustifiably confident." Klaus laughed.

"Shut up!" Amy shouted and a cloud of purple dust erupted from her wings. Klaus stepped into the dust cloud with one quick movement and smacked her with the blunt end of his claw. Amy stumbled back, her head throbbing mercilessly. Klaus stepped out of the cloud and exhaled sharply.

"Held my breath." He grinned and dashed at her again. Amy gasped and tried to use confusion on him again. Her brain responded badly, pounding against her skull and making her unable to concentrate. Klaus was in her face before she knew it and he had her throat in his scissor grip. The blades were barely touching her, but she was too spooked to move. "Now…about those meddlesome wings…"

"You s-son of a bitch!" Ash growled, rolling into a sitting position. "I-I'm not done yet!" He willed the vines to pop out, but he couldn't get his body to cooperate. He groaned as the effort it took to even attempt the move caused his injured arm to go numb. Klaus laughed in response.

"Oh, you're both done." He said. "No more last minute theatrics. It's time to die."

"I couldn't agree more!" A shout came from the outside deck accompanied by the sound of hurried footsteps. Klaus quickly swiveled his head in time to see James burst in through the broken patio door and take a swing at Klaus. The bone claws tore through Klaus's metal skin at his midsection and caused him to yell out as blood leaked from the open cut. He moved his claws away and Amy slumped to the ground in relief.

"How did you-?" Klaus sputtered, staring at the gash in his side.

"These claws cut metal, remember?" James asked harshly. "Let's see you pick on someone in your own league."

"I beat you last time, you prick." Klaus hissed. "I'll do it again!" He dashed forward and began to swipe at James who began to dodge the onslaught of attacks. Amy quickly got on all fours and crawled over to Ash as fast as possible.

"Are you okay?" She asked. "I mean, besides the obvious."

"My f-fucking wrist is killing me." Ash growled. "But I think it's healing. The b-bleeding has stopped anyway." He looked around. "I-I have an idea, Amy."

"What is it?" She asked.

"Can you get to my belt and unclip the fourth Pokeball?" He asked. Amy nodded and reached to the boy's side. She took the Pokeball and held it out. A red beam shot forward and formed into a Poliwhirl.

"Poli! Poliwhirl!" It shouted happily. It turned to its master and its eyes widened. "Poli…" It said sadly.

"I'm okay, P-Poliwhirl. Really." He leaned forward. "Here's what needs to happen."

"You little shit." James growled as Klaus dodged another one of James' strikes. "How did you manage to con your way out of death?"

"You left me alive. Burned, but alive." Klaus said, trying to kick James away. "You have no one to blame but yourself."

"And you think you can just go and sever my friend's hand, huh?" Another missed attack. "Well, maybe I need to have another go at your wings."

"Not this time." Klaus said. "This time, the pleasure will be all mine." He lunged at James and smacked the man across the face with his metal arm. James staggered back out of the way. Klaus took a break to catch his breath before continuing, but it was enough time for Ash.

"Poliwhirl! Water gun!" Ash shouted.

"Whirrrrrrl!" It shouted, unleashing a blast of water from its stomach. The splash hit Klaus head on, soaking him from head to foot, but not enough to knock him over. Klaus blinked in surprise, then turned to Ash with an incredulous look.

"What was that supposed to do? Expecting me to rust or something?"

"Or something." Ash said. Amy's wings were flapping furiously and she let loose a gust of wind. Klaus didn't have time to dodge this one and flew back against the refrigerator door with a loud slam. A livewire jumped out from the wall and touched the Rocket's soaked body. Volts upon volts of electricity flooded the man's body, causing him to howl in excruciating pain. He was unable to move, his body clenching up as the massive jolt of energy coursed through him, using his wet metal exterior as a powerful conductor. The smell of Klaus' insides cooking filled the air like burning bacon.

Eventually, the wire fell away and Klaus collapsed to the floor, his metal skin blackened close to a crisp and his body spasming from the remaining electricity. He groaned in pain, unable to move. James walked up to him and spat on his body.

"Piece of shit. This time, I'm finishing it." He walked to the other side and, careful to watch for the wires, grabbed the edge of the fridge. With a grunt, he pushed it over on top of Klaus' body. There was a loud crunch of weak metal being snapped followed by a cry of agony. There was no movement from under the large appliance.

James turned to Ash and Amy. Ash was breathing slowly, his face pale as the fridge. Amy recalled Poliwhirl to its Pokeball. "Quick thinking, Ketchum." James said. "How's your arm?"

"Take a w-wild guess." Ash said.

"Grab it, Amy." James said, pointing at the hand lying on the ground. "And press it to Ash's partially healed stump."

"What? Why?" Amy asked.

"Just do it, will you?" James said irritably. She nodded and picked the limp body part up. It was cold and clammy to the touch. She waited for Ash to undo his wrappings. The end of Ash's wrist was mangled and in the middle of sewing itself up. Amy felt her stomach turn, but obediently held the hand against the wound. She took off her shirt and wrapped the two body parts together with it. She felt a little shy about it, but her mind was on autopilot and didn't give it a second thought. "Now help him to the car." He started toward them, and then stopped. "Did you get what you need from here?"

"Yeah." Amy nodded.

"Good. Then I'm torching it." James said. Amy's eyes widened.

"What?"

"I'm not letting Klaus survive again." James said. "Take Ash to the car."

"This is my parents' place…"

"Not anymore it isn't." James said. "Now go." Amy sighed and helped Ash to his feet before the duo stumbled out to the front door. James turned back around and walked over to Klaus' body, still trapped under the fridge.

"Can you hear me? You still alive under there?" He got no response. "Well, maybe you are, maybe you aren't." He touched the metal appliance with his finger quickly to ensure it wasn't electrically charged before moving it off of Klaus. The man was lying there among broken floorboards, his face smashed and his metal body broken. His eyes were closed and his chest wasn't moving. "Better not take chances." James reached out and slit Klaus' throat. Blood oozed from the deep cut. "I've been waiting a long time to do that." James smiled and walked over to the kitchen counter, got a matchbook from a drawer and proceeded to light and place the matches in the dry carpet of the next room. Once the rugs caught on fire, James dropped the book and headed to the door.

Ash and Amy were already in the backseat of the car when James opened the door and climbed into the driver's seat. "Keys." He said. Amy reached into Ash's pockets, grabbed the keys, and handed them up. James started the car and drove off. Amy stared out the back window, watching the fire grow through one of the windows. _I guess it is goodbye for good this time._

"So K-Klaus is dead." Ash asked.

"Yeah. He is." James assured him. Ash let out a sigh of relief.

"How did you know what was going on?" Amy asked him. A faint blush was rising to her face as it sunk in that she was with two boys wearing only jeans and a bra.

"I went down to the Rocket warehouse and saw an open crate of Metal Coats. They aren't used for many purposes, one of which is to evolve a Scyther into a Scizor. I put two and two together and rushed back here. Not a moment too soon either."

"Thanks James." Ash said. "I owe you one."

"We're even." The man said finitely. "Check his arm, Amy." The girl unwrapped the bloody cloth from around the wound and gasped in surprise and awe as the sinews of muscle and skin were entwining and successfully reattaching Ash's arm.

o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o

Ash slowly washed his left arm in the soapy water that filled the metal tub he was sitting in. It was good to be back at the library and, even though there wasn't a full bathroom in the building, he was glad they could improvise a bathtub for him. His body still reeked of blood and vomit and he wanted to get as clean as possible.

He clenched and unclenched his fist multiple times as if to get used to the feeling. It was his arm, he knew that much. But he had seen it get cut clean off. He _felt_ it get cut clean off. It was as if his conscious mind refused to believe this was his arm.

There was a soft knock on the door and Ash turned his head slightly. "Yeah?" He asked. "Who is it?"

"It's me." Amy's voice resonated from the other side.

"What do you need?" Ash asked. "I can't really come to the door right now." There was a slight pause before the girl continued.

"Errr…I just wanted to know if you were finished or not." She said slowly, stammering her words slightly. "Can you come get me when you're done?"

"Sure." Ash replied. "I'll only be a little while longer."

"Thanks. I'll be in my room." She said and Ash heard her retreating footsteps. He sighed and finished washing up. He stepped out of the basin, dried off, then dressed in baggy jeans and his Violet Isle League shirt. He opened the door to the spare room and walked out into the main room of the library basement. Trying not to wake James and Bill, he slunk over to Amy's door and rapped on it.

"Ash?" Amy asked from inside her room.

"Yeah. The bathroom is free now."

"Actually…" He words were tripping over one another. "Could you come in for a moment? I want to talk to you." She laughed lightly, but Ash could hear some nervousness in her tone. "Don't worry, I'm decent." Ash laughed back and opened the door to her room.

"I hope I didn't get the water too dirty for y-" Ash's voice died off as he entered the room. She hasn't lied to him technically; the flimsy towel that was wrapped around her body covered enough of her to be considered decent, but not by much. It wrapped up around her chest and draped down in the back so it could get under her wings. The bottom edge of the towel stopped at her thighs. Other than that, she wasn't wearing a thing. Ash never realized how smooth her skin looked…

Amy noticed Ash's roving eyes and blushed heavily. Ash caught her reddening color and immediately regained control of his actions. "Uh, sorry. I just wasn't expecting to see…that much of you."

"It isn't easy to get this towel to work with my wings. I don't have a lot of extra material." She said, still blushing. "Is it bothering you? I could change…"

"No, it's okay." Ash concentrated on staring at her face. "So what did you want to tell me?"

"Ummm…" Amy bit her lip and fidgeted in place. She had gone over what she was going to say multiple times, but the words seemed to die in her throat now. "I don't quite know how to say this, Ash…" She took a deep breath. "I guess I just want to thank you for saving me today."

"Ah." Ash said, rubbing the back of his head. He wasn't used to so much praise and adoration, even for performing such a selfless act. It seemed he rarely got thanked for anything anymore and here Amy was still showering him with thanks. "I appreciate it, Amy, but you don't need to keep thanking me. You saved me too, remember? In the basement?"

"Yeah, but I didn't sacrifice my arm to protect you." She said, her blush returning with reinforcements. "What you did…no one else has ever done for me."

"I didn't want to see you get hurt." Ash said truthfully.

"And you put yourself in harms way because of it. That is what makes you so special, Ash." Amy gulped. "I…I feel safe around you. Safer than I have felt in a long, long time." She took a deep breath. "And yet, it makes me feel even more alone."

"Alone?" Ash asked. Amy nodded.

"Since I grew apart from my sister and parents. I spent every night unable to go to sleep because I felt so lonely. I managed to get over it then, and be completely independent. But now…now that I know someone else actually cares about me…I feel all alone again." She hugged herself closely. "I'm so tired of being alone, Ash."

"You're not really alone, Amy. James, Bill and I aren't going to abandon you." Ash took a step forward. "We're your friends."

"I know, but it's…it's not enough. I'm sorry, but it just isn't. I need something more than that." She slowly looked up into Ash's eyes. "I don't want to feel this way anymore. Will you please stay with me tonight?"

"Stay with…" Ash repeated to himself. "What are you saying?"

"I want you to spend the night with me, Ash. Please. I've never wanted anything more than I do right now." She shook visibly, out of nervousness, and then steadied herself. "I need you, Ash."

"Errr…" Ash's voice didn't have the strength he was hoping for. "Amy? I think you need to clarify what you're getting at."

"Clarify?" Amy asked, exasperated and slightly annoyed. "You want me to clarify? Fine." She reached up and undid where the towel ends met on her torso. The small piece of fabric fell to the ground, unhindered. Ash's eyes widened and he stepped backward in shock. Her pale naked body looked awkward contrasted against her colorful wings, but he found himself unable to look away. She blushed furiously, trying hard to fight her shyness. She managed to keep her arms at her side so she could expose her body to him. "I want you Ash. I _need_ you. I want you to take me on this cot and perform every carnal act you've ever heard of." Her voice was unsteady but determined. "Is that clear enough?"

"A-Amy…" Ash started to say, but his brain was not concentrating on words right now. The mental images swirling through his mind were sending powerful signals throughout his body. His breathing had gotten quicker and his sudden arousal had become apparent, much to Amy' joy and relief.

"Please Ash…don't leave me waiting." She said, her voice husky and needy. Ash licked his lips subconsciously. Something deep inside him was rising to the forefront of his mind; something fierce and primal. His conscious mind took a back seat to animal urges as he let his emotions take control of him again.

Within three quick strides, he was so close to Amy, he could smell the pheromones coming off of her. The scent was intoxicating and it drove Ash's mind further from reality. Amy's breathing had gotten quicker too and he could feel her warm breaths on his face as he looked down at her eyes. He could see the lust in them, but wasn't sure if it was hers or his reflecting back at him. Maybe both. Either way, he didn't care.

He placed one hand on her lower back and the other behind her neck, then pressed her against him, capturing her mouth with his own fiercely. She let out a surprised squeak, then easily settled into the rough embrace. Her hands traveled up and held onto the back of his head, entangled in his black hair. Their tongues began to entwine and Amy closed her eyes blissfully. The kiss was so hard, she thought it might bruise her lips, but she didn't care. The pain almost felt as good as the passion.

She gasped as Ash slid his lower hand down to cup her ass, and she settled into a low moan of approval. She raised her right leg up against his side so he could get a better grip. Her grip on his hair tightened, keeping him as close as possible. She gyrated against his lower body, trying to get an even more enflamed response from him. Ash grunted at the teasing contact. He reached up and grabbed a fistful of her hair, pulling her head back and away from him. She yelled out in momentary pain and surprise, then whined from the feeling of loss from his lips. She sighed in delight as Ash immediately moved his head so he could kiss her neck. His frantic kisses turned into bites and Amy squealed and moaned with each one.

"Touch me." Amy gasped quietly. Ash nodded and let go of her hair. The hand moved around to the front and grabbed her left breast. He began to play with it and squeeze it roughly, much to Amy's delight. She left her head tilted back so Ash could have his way with her neck. Her eyes were shut, allowing her other senses to soak in the feelings assaulting her.

Tired of receiving all the attention, Amy reached down and unbuttoned Ash's jeans clumsily. Ash made a questioning noise, then gasped as Amy slid her lithe hand down inside of his pants. He groaned from the sudden attention and shut his eyes. Amy took advantage of the situation and moved her mouth to his ears, nibbling on the lobes. Ash swallowed weakly as Amy hot breath sent chills down his spine.

"Please Ash…make love to me." Amy whispered to him, moving her fingers slightly. Ash shuddered. His mouth opened, but no words seemed to be able to come out. Finally, he found his voice.

"Oh God, Misty."

The three words were like a bomb dropping in his head. Thousands of memories seemed to crash back into his brain like a meteor shower. Red hair, blue eyes, bright smile. The fog in his head cleared and he managed to take control of his actions again. He stared into the confused face of Amy, shock settling in as his brain seemed to replay what had just happened.

"Ash, my name is Amy." The girl said. Ash quickly pushed himself away from the girl, her hands sliding out of his pants. Amy looked up at him, her eyes dancing with hurt and surprise.

"Oh man…Amy, I'm so sorry." Ash stumbled through his apology. His mind was taunting him endlessly. _You forgot her. The one person you swore never to forget and you did. You are pathetic._

"Ash, what's wrong?" Amy started to walk closer to him. "The air is so cold without your body against mine."

"Ah…errr…" Ash tried to formulate words but the incessant chastising of his conscience was drowning out his own thoughts. _How could you forget her? I thought you cared about her. Yet you go for the first woman who opens her legs. What is wrong with you?_ He walked backwards slowly until his back hit the door. "Amy, I am so, so sorry, but I can't do this to you."

"Ash! It's okay!" Amy insisted. "I want this." She reached out and grabbed his hand pulling it down between her thighs. "See?"

Ash pulled away from her like she was made of fire. Amy shrunk back in fear, completely losing whatever confidence she previously had. _You forgot her, you forgot her, you forgot her!_

_SHUT UP!_ Ash screamed back, tired of the nagging voice in his head. "I…I just can't do this."

"Why?" Amy started to tear up, her words getting choppy. She slumped down to her knees, unable to hold herself up. "What's wrong with me?"

"Amy, that's not what I meant. It's not you. I can't do this because…because I'll break your heart." He shook his head. "I don't love you, Amy."

"Who said anything about love?" Amy practically screamed at him. "I just want to feel wanted!"

"But my heart is…" Ash stopped and started over. "If we go through with this, I'll hate myself in the morning. And I will hate what we did. And I even might end up hating you too." At this, Amy broke down and started to sob in earnest. _Congratulations, Mr. Fuck-up. Way to break it to her lightly._

"I'm really sorry, Amy." Ash apologized again. "I care about you and I would do almost anything for you. But I can't do this." He turned around and put his hand on the doorknob.

"Wait!" Amy screeched after him. "Please don't go! Please just stay with me!"

"Amy…I already told you…"

"Not that. We don't need to do that. Just stay by my side tonight. Please." Amy reached up and dried her eyes. "Please don't leave me alone, especially not after all this."

Ash sighed and let go of the doorknob. "Okay." He whispered softly. He walked over to Amy and helped her to her feet. She stumbled as she regained her balance before throwing her arms around Ash's neck. She buried her face in his shoulder.

"Thank you." She mumbled. Ash didn't say anything. Instead he led her over to her cot and laid her down on it. It was barely wide enough for both of them, so Amy had to lay her head on Ash's chest and curl up against the side of his body. Within minutes, she slipped away into sleep, still clutching Ash tightly. Ash couldn't find the same harmonious sleep. Despite Amy still being naked, Ash's emotions were stuck on one feeling and one feeling only: guilt. He stared ahead at the ceiling, the devastating silence making him the perfect audience for the torturous echoing in his mind.

_You forgot her. You loved her and you forgot her. _

End of Fourth Iteration

* * *

**Outro:** And the Fourth Iteration ends with some question resolved and others still unanswered. Who was expecting Klaus to return? Anyone?

I was a little on edge about writing the last scene of the chapter and it took me a while. I'm okay with gratuitious violence, gore and language, but sex is another matter. It's rated M, but I didn't want this to become a lemon or anything similar. Yet this scene is important to the story and I didn't feel right skimping on details just to get through it. Finally, I decided to go with a slightly scaled back version which is what appears above. I think it works well with the story.

Your obligitory move list is as follows:

Ash's Move List - Vine Whip, Razor Leaf, Leech Seed

James' Move List - Slash, Swift, Earthquake, Sandstorm

Amy's Move List: Sleep Powder, Whirlwind, Confusion

Klaus' Move List - Slash, Fury Cutter, Swords Dance, Arial Ace

Clayton's Move List: Transform

Thank you for reading more of my humble story and I hope I can continue entertaining and surprising you. Please leave a review as I love to hear what you thought about this chapter. Iteration Five starts up soon, so keep an eye out for the next exciting episode of Hybrids: Outbreak!

- T.E.


	11. Escalation

**Intro:** Hello gang! I'm back with the latest episode of _Hybrids: Outbreak_. Thanks for waiting so long, I've been busy as of late. This chapter marks the beginning of the second half of the story and it's where things are really going to start picking up. Twists, turns and surprises abound from here on out! As per the norm; I do not own Pokemon or it's characters.

* * *

**Hybrids: Fifth Iteration**

**Strand 1: Escalation**

There was no sunlight, because the library basement lacked any windows to the outside world. Somehow, though, Ash knew it was almost noon. Which meant it was time to get up. He struggled out of bed, slowly allowing Amy's head to slide off of him and onto the pillow. She didn't wake up in the slightest and Ash just covered her up.

He glanced at the clock on the wall. It was noon. He had been right. Maybe it was because he had been counting the minutes since he went to bed. His eyes had bags under them and he was stumbling around like a Wobuffet. He craved sleep badly, but his mind wouldn't allow him to succumb to it, possibly as a punishment.

He was still dressed and he slipped out of Amy's room silently, closing the door behind him. James was leaning against the far wall of the foyer as if expecting him. His arms were crossed and he had a sly grin on his face. Ash groaned, realizing what would be coming next.

"Good morning, Ketchum." James said. "Have a good night?"

"Not now, James. I'm not in the mood. I didn't get a wink of sleep last night." Ash cursed his tongue the minute the words left his mouth.

"I should think not." James said smugly. "Funny thing. I went to check on you a few minutes ago and you weren't in your room. So I decided to go ask Amy if she knew where you were. I opened the door and lo and behold, there you were, eyes closed with a very naked girl wrapped around you."

"It isn't what it looks like." Ash said simply, walking past him. James turned and followed him.

"Oh? So those weren't Amy's moans I was hearing after you finished your bath?" James asked teasingly. Ash felt his blood boil.

"Drop it James. Please."

"Hey, I'm not chastising you. I'm praising you. It's about time you get out some pent-up emotion. And Amy's not a bad catch at all. I always thought she had a cute ass."

Ash swiveled around, sticking his finger in James' face. "Last chance, James. Shut our mouth or I'll do it for you." He turned back around and continued walking.

"Oh, someone's testy." James said. "What's wrong? Did you do something weird last night? Did she want you to play with her wings? Did she dominate you? Ask you to put it some place uncomfortable?" James stroked his chin. "Or maybe this is about that redhead you used to travel with." Ash froze in place. "Ooo…I found the weak spot, huh?" Ash clenched his fists tightly. "You shouldn't feel bad, you know. You two weren't dating or anything, were you? It's not like you betrayed her. Besides, do you really think it's going to work out now between you two? Now that you are like this? She's probably forgotten about you by now." Ash's breathing became heavy and labored, his shoulders shaking. "And you're better off without her, anyway. She always came off as kind of a domineering bitch to me."

Without warning, Ash spun around and grabbed James' shirt collar. He slammed the larger man against the wall as hard as he could. James grunted and quickly lifted his hands up, pressing his bone claws against Ash's neck. The boy didn't even flinch. His blood red gaze bored into the other man's eyes.

"Don't you ever say that about her again! She's the best friend I ever had!" The angry words came pouring from his mouth uncontrollably. All the guilt and anguish building up since his encounter with Amy last night had come to a head and he needed to get everything off his chest, even if it was to a man he was threatening. "She stuck by my side through thick and thin, always cheering for me and helping me train! And I pushed her from my mind like she was nothing! Do you hear me? NOTHING!" James didn't blink. "I told her I'd never forget her and I did! I forgot the most important person in my life!" Tears formed in Ash's eyes and he clenched James' shirt tighter. His teeth gritted and the fact he was starting to cry in front of James was causing him to become angrier. Not at James, but at himself. "I betrayed her! Don't you see it? I BETRAYED HER!"

"Let me go." James said in a low voice. Ash growled and pushed James against the wall harder, hoping to push him though it. When he realized it wasn't going to work, Ash let go of his shirt and James lowered his claws away. Ash backed up slowly until he reached one of the wooden chairs and sat down. He put his head in his hands, trying to hide the tears that wouldn't go away. James dusted himself off and left the room, going into his own. A few minutes later, he came back with a small pouch. He tossed it on the table next to Ash. It made a tinkling sound like glass. Ash looked up in confusion. James motioned his head at the pouch. Slowly, Ash opened it up. Hundreds of small purple glass shards filled the bag. Ash looked back up at him.

"I collected them all after you left the room two nights ago. Every last shard. I can't glue it back into the shape of a Koffing or anything, but at least I still have Jessie's present." James leaned against the wall. "Look, I'm sorry, okay. I didn't realize you felt so deeply about her."

"I didn't ever really show it." Ash agreed. He groaned. "I don't deserve to think of her like that anymore."

"Oh, get over yourself." James growled. "You can't control your memory loss any more than you can control the virus progression. It's not like you made yourself forget about her. Your Pokemon side pushed it away."

"Why?" He asked weakly.

"Because it was keeping you human." James said. "Now stop whining. You didn't betray her. You didn't go all the way with Amy, right?" Ash shook his head. "And I assumed you stopped when you remembered her?" Ash nodded this time. "Then what do you have to feel guilty about?"

"I…I don't know…I just miss her, I guess." Ash said softly.

"Get used to it. She's not part of your world anymore, just like Jessie isn't part of mine." He walked over and grabbed the pouch. "Though that doesn't mean you need to forget her." Ash took a deep breath before standing up.

"You're right." He nodded.

"Of course I am, twerp. Now stop moping and give me a hand with lunch, huh?" He walked into another large room. "Oh, and for what it matters," James' voice carried over from the next room. "I don't really think she's forgotten about you either." Ash closed his eyes and nodded as if reassuring himself. He slowly made his way to the next room where James was waiting. The room was small, but nicely secluded from the other books. There was a small fridge and a microwave, as well as a dinner table. The room must have been set aside as a break room for the people who worked in the basement.

They made lunch together in almost total silence. Ash was too tired and emotionally drained to carry a good conversation and James didn't like small talk in the slightest. Before long, they had made a tall plate of sandwiches and sat down at the table. Ash was about to bite down into a lettuce sandwich when the door opened. Amy walked into the room, her hair disheveled and her face beet red. She was looking at the ground, rubbing her arm nervously. She had a t-shirt and jeans on, a vast difference from her attire last night.

"Morning." She said weakly, her voice barley reaching audible octaves. Ash was about to reply when James stood up.

"On second thought, maybe I'll go eat in my room." He grabbed two sandwiches and left the room. Amy watched him go, them slowly, shyly, she walked over to the table. She pulled out a chair and sat down across from Ash. Her purple hair was down in front of her face, almost covering her eyes completely. She looked away from Ash, unable to meet his eyes. She reached out and grabbed a sandwich, then began to chew on it like a mouse would.

"How are you feeling?" Ash asked, mentally kicking himself for the lame question.

"All right." Amy said softly. "Y-you?"

"Fine." He responded. _Is this kind of talk always this awkward?_ He stared at the girl, who was still blushing furiously and trying to hide in her hair. "Look, Amy, about last night…"

"I'm sorry." Amy interrupted him, her voice shaking with uncertainty. "I don't know what came over me. I'm not normally like that, I swear. I just…I don't know…"

"I'm sorry too." Ash said, putting his food down. "I wasn't myself either." Amy nodded and pushed her hair to the side so it was up behind her ear. Ash noticed several large bruises along her neck. He blanched at the sight. "Your neck…did I do that?" He asked. Amy looked away from him again and nodded sheepishly. "Jeez…I'm so sorry, Amy. I'm not usually that rough."

"It's okay." She said. "I don't know if I would now, but last night I really enjoyed the roughness." She bit her lip and flushed crimson again. "God, I sound like such a nymphomaniac."

"It wasn't you back there, just like it wasn't me." Ash said, reassuring her. Amy nodded.

"I know. I felt like a Pokemon in heat." She shook her head. "It just…I didn't have control over myself, but I didn't want to regain control, you know?" She took another bite of her sandwich. "But I think I have my emotions in check again. I'm sorry for putting you in that position, Ash. It was unfair."

"I forgive you." Ash said. Amy smiled warmly, finally able to look him the eyes.

"And thanks for holding me all last night. I didn't think so at the time, but looking back, I can see that it did more for me then a night of passionate sex would." She flushed red again. "Not that the sex would have been bad…"

Ash laughed and Amy joined in. It was nervous and half-forced, but not unpleasant. After the laughing died down, they went back to eating in silence for a while. Eventually, Amy spoke up again. "Are things going to be awkward between us?"

"Maybe for a while." Ash said honestly. "It isn't as bad as I thought it might be, but it's still a little weird. I mean, once you've seen someone naked, it isn't easy to hold up idle chit-chat. Let alone after saying the kind of things you said to me." Amy blushed again and looked away. "But I think we can put it behind us." Ash said. "Do you think you could forget what I did last night?"

"Who says I want to?' She gave him a coy smile, followed by a joking giggle. Ash grinned and took another bite of his lunch.

"Not normally like that, huh?" He asked. Amy just smiled sweetly and went back to eating. Ash shook his head with a laugh. _Maybe things won't be so bad after all._

James reentered the room a few minutes later, with Bill following behind him. He was holding a clipboard with some notepaper attached to it. He had a big grin on his face. James sat down next to Ash and looked at Bill.

"Okay, we're all in one place." James crossed his arms and looked up impatiently. "Now what is so important?"

"Well, I just wanted to know if you guys wanted to go shopping." Bill asked innocently. Ash cocked his head to the side as James glared at the man.

"Shopping? Is that what was so damned important?" James hissed. "You had to bring us together so you could send us out for milk and eggs?"

"Well, I was thinking more along the lines of Glucagons and Thymine." Bill grinned at them. Ash blinked twice before he caught on.

"Wait, wait, wait! You mean you've discovered something?" Ash asked.

"I have a very possible hypothesis, yes." Bill ran a hand through his green hair. "It's kind of risky and may take a few days to get ready, but I think it's safe to say that it is a definite possibility I can sterilize your virus." He held his clipboard out to Ash. "All I need are the items on this list."

Ash took the clipboard and placed it on the table so he could read it over. He scratched his head in confusion. "Bill, I can't even pronounce some of these words." Bill sighed in frustration. "What's this one? Topo…Topis…Topiama…"

"Topoisomerases." Amy spoke up, looking at the clipboard upside down. Ash and James both looked up at the girl and stared. "What?" She asked. "My parents are scientists. My dad used to read me passages from his lab notes."

"Well, fine time to tell us this." James put his hands on his hips. "Jeez…looks like you're useful to us now." Amy glared at the man and stuck out her tongue. Ash rolled his eyes.

"So you know what this stuff is Amy?" Ash asked. Amy nodded.

"Most of it anyway. Some of these a little vague, but I could probably figure it out if I could take a look at Bill's notes."

"Go right ahead." Bill nodded.

"Excellent!" Ash clapped his hands together. "Now we're getting somewhere!" He turned to James. "Any idea about any Rocket hideouts in this region we could ransack for these supplies?"

"According to the papers from Amy's house, the nearest base is on the outskirts of town next to Deepridge Mountain." He rubbed his chin pensively. "I believe it's in the form of an old coal and lumber processing plant. There's a mine shaft the goes directly into the mountain and a small forest that they harvest for wood. Of course, Team Rocket uses half the building for their own purposes. And if they're doing experimentation in there, then they must have the scientific mumbo-jumbo we need."

"Perfect!" Ash exclaimed, then his tone soured. "Err…what's the chance that we run into more of Giovanni's hybrids?"

"I'd like to say minimal, but I would have said that about the boathouse in Port Sapphire too." James crossed his arms. "Our best option is to hope for the best and plan for the worst."

"The worst?" Ash asked. "I don't even what to think about what the worst might be like."

"It won't be pretty." James agreed. "I think it's best if you don't think about it."

"Great." Ash mumbled. "Well, when do we head out?"

"You're in no condition to be going anywhere yet." James said. "On the other hand, the sooner we get these supplies, the sooner Bill can fix us up."

"My arm's fine. See?" Ash held his appendage out. "I'm ready for this."

"Bullshit. Anyone who even cares about you a little bit would tell you that you shouldn't go on this mission." A small grin lit up James' face. "Thankfully for you, I don't care about you at all. We head out tonight. Eat up."

"Tonight?" Amy said, stammering. "Isn't that a little too soon? We don't have a plan or anything!"  
"Who said you were coming along?" James asked over his shoulder. "Didn't you come close enough to death last time?"

"Oh, and how were you planning on finding the right specimens without me, huh?" Amy put her hands on her hips. "Going to hope for big labels on some glass beakers?"

Ash looked at James. "She has a good point. I don't know about this shit and you don't know about this shit. Bill does, but we can't risk putting him in a situation like this."

"Plus, I can't fight." Bill spoke up.

"Well, that settles it." James said. "Let's hope your run-in with Klaus taught you a few things, because this is not going to be some cakewalk." He turned to Ash. "You too, kid. This isn't going to be like the Breeding Center in Garnet City. These guards will mean business."

"I'm ready for them now." Ash said with confidence.

"Let's hope you're right." James said. "For your sake."

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The scattered moonlight illuminated the side of the red mountain and the large metal factory that was attached to the geographical pillar continued to puff smoke out into the sky in dark grey clouds. For large portions of the evening, the moon and stars were hidden by the dark smog, allowing only minimal light to pierce the dark sky. Topaz Town was a mining community and there was nothing especially unusual about the dark clouds overhead.

The clouds also proved to be instrumental in obscuring three figures in tight black outfits who were sneaking toward the border of town toward the factory. They were almost completely unnoticeable, save for a pair of bright Butterfree wings.

The cool breeze was an odd but welcome surprise. With the departure of August, the horrid heat that it had brought had dissipated, leaving the days to be mildly warm and the nights to be pleasantly cool. With everything that had happened, Ash hardly had time to notice the changing weather. Now that they were back out to sneaking around at night, Ash could appreciate the soothing temperature drop.

James, who had taken the lead, stopped the other two at the top of a small hill. As the road they followed descended down a slight slope, it eventually ended by a large steel gate that encompassed the factory grounds. A large gate in the fence was visable further along. Three guards were posted outside the gate, each wearing simple grey outfits.

"Rockets?" Ash asked quietly.

"Possibly, but not likely. Probably rent-a-cops." James watched the guards from the higher vantage point. "We could probably take them easily."

"You know, I'm okay with us slaughtering Rockets, even the ones that were just scientists. I was disturbed, but eventually I came to terms with it." Ash said. "But these are regular people, probably with families." He shook his head vigorously. "We're not going to kill them."

"Weak." James shook his head. "They'd just as soon kill you or worse. Probably torture you senseless and turn you in for reward money."

"Doesn't make it any more right for us." Ash said. "Think of another way in."

"Well, maybe we could go in through the mountain." Amy suggested. "This place is part coal mill, right? That must mean there's a way to get from the factory right into a mine shaft and vise versa."

"That might be worth a try." Ash said. "If we could find an alternate route into the mountain…"

"And waste all that time?" James asked. "No way. We don't have all night to look for some damn crack in the mountainside. We'd be better off…" James stopped as he watched something float down from above and land on his shoulder. It looked like a white flake. He slowly looked up and Ash and Amy followed suit. Hundreds of small white dots descended lazily from the sky, blown about by the wind.

"Snow!" Amy said excitedly.

"…In early September?" Ash asked, cocking his head to one side.

"It's not cold enough." James groused. He sniffed the air, and then froze in place.

"Know what I used to do as a kid?" Amy asked. "Whenever there was a snow shower, I'd go out and catch some flakes on my tongue." Amy stuck her tongue out and waited. James quickly leapt into action, covering Amy's mouth with his hand and yanking her away. "Mmph?" Amy exclaimed, the sound muffled from behind the hand.

"This isn't snow." James explained. "These are ashes."

"Ashes?" Ash asked. He looked up.

"From the factory's smog emissions." James said. He let go of Amy's mouth.

"So they're burning wood or coal or something?" Ash asked.

"Doesn't smell like wood." James sniffed the wind again. "Try bodies." Ash did a double take and Amy's pale skin lost even more color.

"Bodies?!" Ash asked. "What, like corpses?"

"Probably. Mostly, anyway." James looked toward the factory. "I assume it's a way to keep their 'experiment' levels in check. If something goes wrong with the Hybrid, just burn 'em."

"Oh my God." Ash said. Amy pushed away from James and began to throw up onto the grass behind them. Ash rubbed her back comfortingly as she finished vomiting.

"I was going to catch it on my tongue…" She whimpered before throwing up again. The two boys waited for Amy to finish regaining her composure before continuing their conversation.

"As I was saying, we're not taking the time to go to the mountain." James crossed his arms. "Do you have any other ideas?"

"Actually, I do." Ash reached to his belt and pulled out the Pokeball in the furthest away notch. It expanded in his hand and Ash held it out. "I choose you, Geodude." The rock Pokemon appeared in front of them and immediately flexed its muscles.

"Dude!" It said happily.

"All right Geodude. I need you to dig a hole for us to get through."

"Geo geo?" It asked.

"Yeah, see that gate over there?"

"Geodude."

"We need to get past it. Can you do this for us?"

"Geo!" The Pokemon nodded and immediately began to tear at the ground.

"This is your brilliant idea?" James asked. "Digging a hole?"

"Yeah! No one will be able to see us, will they?"

"Will we even be able to fit in this hole?" Amy asked as she watched Geodude burrow into the ground. He was moving very quickly, barely stopping to give his rock arms a rest.

"Of course. At least I assume so." Ash said. James groaned.

"This is stupid. Look at that hole, twerp. Even on your stomach, you would only be able to barely fit in there. I sure as hell can't and Amy's wings would make it impossible for her too."

"You have claws, don't you?" Ash asked, hands on his hips. "You're part ground Pokemon too. Digging should be second nature to you."

"Listen up, you fucking little-"

"Guys!" Amy exclaimed, breaking up Ash and James' fight. Both boys turned to face her. "This isn't getting us anywhere." She reached behind herself, grabbed the tips of her wings and brought them around front of her like a shawl. "I can wrap my wings around like this and fit in the hole. James, it shouldn't be too hard for you to fit in after us, since we'll enlarge the hole a little bit by tramping through it." She let go of her wings and pointed at the hole. "Now, Geodude's already half the way there. I think we should follow him, don't you?"

"Good to see someone has confidence in my ideas." Ash grinned and walked over to the hole. James shook his head and mumbled to himself as he followed the boy. Ash got down on his hands and knees and peered into the dark depths in front of him. It did look kind of cramped now that he had a chance to get close to it, but he'd be damned if he'd admit that now. "All right. Let's go." He began to crawl into Geodude's tunnel. Amy took a deep breath before getting on her knees and following him. James scowled at the stupidity of it all before following suit and entering the hole.

The tunnel didn't go too far, but it was enough of a trip to seem like too far. It was stuffy, dark and worst of all, horribly claustrophobic. Ash could hear Amy's uneven breathing and James' constant cursing behind him and it only convinced him to move as fast as he could so they could get back to fresh air. Eventually, he met up with Geodude, who had stopped digging.

"What's up, Geodude?" Ash asked. The Pokemon pointed ahead.

"Dude! Geo!"

"We're almost out?"

"Geodude!"

"Then let's do this." Ash commented. Geodude nodded, then gave the dirt above him one solid punch. His arm burst through the ground and the Pokemon immediately began to enlarge the hole.

"What's going on?" Amy asked from behind him.

"We're just about out of here." Ash said. "Geodude's busting us out." After a few seconds, the hole in the ground was large enough for Ash to stick his head out and take a look around. They were on the other side of the fence, that was for sure. The factory was still a good ways away, but they were also far enough away from any guards.

"Will you get moving, kid?" James hissed from under him. "I'm dying down here!"

"Yeah, just a sec-" Ash stopped as he noticed a spotlight from the top of the factory began to swing his way. His eyes shot open and he quickly grabbed Geodude and pulled him down into the hole. The spotlight beam passed by harmlessly.

"What the Hell is going on out there?" James hissed.

"Spotlight." Ash said, ducked down so he could hide from any other lights. He looked down at Amy. "We're going to wait for the next one to pass by. Once it does, we sprint for the nearest safe spot, okay?" Amy nodded. "Good. Return, Geodude." Ash held out his Pokeball.

"Geodude!" The Pokemon agreed, then disappeared into a beam of red light. Ash put the ball back on his belt and looked upward. They waited for a few moments before another bright light passed overhead, illuminating the tunnel as it passed. Once they were again in darkness, Ash grabbed the edges of the hole.

"Now!" He yelled and lifted himself out. He reached back in, grabbed Amy's hand and helped lift her out. James followed closely, his claws helping to propel him out. "Where to now?"

"How about there?" Amy pointed to a small storage shed a few yards away. Ash nodded and immediately dashed over and pressed his back against the side. James and Amy followed suit. Ash looked around the corner, trying to memorize the pattern of the spotlights.

"Let's see here…" He mumbled out loud. "We need to get into the base without causing a ruckus."

"I have an idea." James said. He was looking up at the side of the building they were against. Ash looked up and saw the words "Waste Management" in rusted bronze letters.

"Are you kidding me?"

"Nope." James said simply. "We're going to get in by taking the exit." He snuck around the other end of the building and peered around the corner. "The door's on this side."

"Isn't there a better way in?" Ash asked hopefully.

"Not bloody likely." James snorted. "Now stop bitching and get over here." James made sure that there were no guards in sight and moved the door. The factory itself was most likely outfitted with complicated locks and key cards, but the sewage pump station simply had a padlock. James barely had to swing his claws to remove the outdated steel lock from the door handles. He quickly opened it up and ushered the other two inside before closing the doors behind him.

The room was dark and noisy, effectively killing two important senses. The putrid odor knocked out the third. "Oh my God." Amy said, holding her hand over her nose. "This is the most nauseating smell I've ever experienced!"

"Can anyone find a light?" Ash asked, his own voice muffled by his hand.

"There's probably a switch somewhere along the walls." James said. Ash used his free hand to feel the damp, gooey walls. He eventually found a switch and flicked it on. Three light bulbs in metal cages against the walls sparked to life, illuminating the room. There were several large pumps and other machines churning loudly. In the center of the cement floor was a metal dome with a wheel sticking out the top.

"I assume that would be our way in." Ash said.

"Nice observation skills." James grabbed the rusty wheel and turned hard. It eventually sprung free and with several rotations, James was able to pull the lid up, revealing a deep hole leading into pitch blackness. A ghastly smell that put the existing odor to shame emanated from the depths, churning Ash's stomach.

"This is seeming more and more like a horrible idea." He ventured, looking at the rickety ladder that penetrated the dark below.

"Shut up and get in there." James grabbed Ash's shoulder and pushed him toward the hole. Ash grumbled, but took a hold on the rungs and lowered himself down the hole. The only light came from above him and Ash couldn't see the ground as he descended the ladder. After five minutes of climbing, his feet touched solid ground. Murky liquid seeped up to his ankles, completely submerging his shoes. Ash cursed, realizing from the smell that it probably wasn't water. He couldn't see anything, but he could tell they were in an enclosed corridor. Amy followed several minutes later and James eventually joined them as well.

"I closed the hatch after us." James said.

"No turning back now." Ash said. "My eyes have almost adjusted to the dark. It's still hard to see anything, though."

"I'm part Sandslash." James said. "My eyes were made to see underground." He looked around. "I can make out the lining of the walls. Follow me." James trudged through the sludge with Ash and Amy behind him.

"How do you know what we're going?" Ash asked.

"Feel the sewage water flowing against your legs?"

"Yeah."

"That means the source is this way. And that means the inner workings of the base."

"Ah." Ash said, wishing he had though of that.

"Do I want to know what we're walking in?" Amy spoke up tentatively.

"Probably not." Ash replied.

"When I was thinking about us sneaking in here, wading shin-deep in waste water wasn't exactly what I had in mind."

"Shut it!" James hissed from the front. "I think I hear something." He pressed his back against the wall of the corridor and Ash and Amy followed his lead. They all held their breath, waiting for the sound James heard. Soon, they could make out faint voices and splashing of footsteps. Slowly, it became louder and louder.

"…and after one more Ice Beam hit, the Dratini fainted." A male voice said. "It was amazing."

"Does that mean you won the bet?" A female voice responded.

"You better believe it. Carl was not happy in the least, that much is for sure." Two Rocket grunts rounded a corner and began to walk toward the hiding trio. Two lights from their flashlights illuminated the hallway, but both guards were looking at each other. "It almost makes up for having shit duty for the third time this-" He was cut off as James grabbed his shoulder and spun him around. He had a full second to look shocked before James drove his claws deep into the man's sternum. He pulled upward sharply, tearing through the man's internal organs and shattering his rib cage. The only sound the grunt made was a gurgle as he died in a spray of blood.

The female Rocket screamed, reaching for a red rod at her side. Ash grabbed her by the side of her head and slammed her skull into the wall. There was a loud cracking noise and several small pieces of stone flecked off from where her head made contact with the wall. A small blood splatter was left as well. The woman's body slumped into the sewage face down.

"That was almost too easy." James scoffed and bent over to retrieve one of the flashlights from the murky gunk at their feet. Ash looked over his shoulder back at Amy. She had been staring at the grisly scene intensely, and when she noticed that Ash was looking back at her, she quickly shifted her gaze. "Okay, got it." James said, holding a flashlight up. He held it out in front of him. "Ah, much better. Let's go. If we keep going against the flow of the waste, we'll reach its source."

As they walked down the corridor, Ash dropped back to walk by Amy. "Ae you okay?" He asked softly. "You didn't look so good back there."

"I'm all right." Amy nodded. "I just wasn't prepared for such a…slaughter, I guess. It wasn't like Klaus; they didn't even fight back."

"I wasn't about to give them a chance." Ash said defensively, guilt starting to surface in his mind. "It was them or us."

"I didn't mean anything by it." Amy quickly put up her hands. "I understand, really. I was just unprepared."

"Better get used to it." Ash said. "If everything goes according to plan, we won't need to actually fight at all."

"Do things usually go according to plan?" Amy asked.

"No." Ash conceded. "Not once, actually."

"Will you two lovebirds stop whispering in each others' ears and help me find an exit?" James asked from ahead. Amy blushed furiously and Ash growled angrily. They continued in silence, until James came to stop, holding his light ahead of him. "Well, well, well. We have doorway." He said triumphantly, walking up to a metal door imbedded in the cement wall. He grabbed the handle and pulled the door open. Light poured into the hallway from the doorway. The other room was a large open area filled with piped and boilers. James took a quick look around before signaling Ash and Amy to follow him.

"Where are we?" Ash asked as he walked into the light-filled room.

"I think this is some kind of power station." James said, turning off the flashlight. "Those pipes are probably feeding up warm water and taking in gasses. There are probably some wires feeding up from here too."

"So do you think we can disable all the alarms from here?"

"Do you know how to work an advanced electrical set-up?" James asked. Ash sighed and shook his head. "Me neither. We could try, but I'd be more worried about accidentally setting something off."

"Well, at least we're in the factory and out of that fucking sewage." Ash said. "It still smells horrible, but I guess that could just be us."

"Hold on." Amy spoke up, holding up one hand. "I think I hear a voice."

"Hello? Is someone there?" A small voice came from the far corner of the room. James growled and clenched his fists together. Ash quickly intervened.

"Wait. It sounds like a kid's voice." He walked toward the voice.

"Don't be a damn fool!" James hissed, but Ash didn't listen to him. As he rounded one large boiler, the source of the voice came into view. A young boy, no more than eight or nine, was sitting in a small cage, clothed in rags. His eyes and skin were dark, but innocent. His body had an almost ethereal deep purple glow around him, like ghostly smoke. The cage wasn't very large and it seemed like there was only enough room for him to sit down cross-legged.

"Who are you?" The boy asked, looking up at Ash. "You're not the guard."

"No I'm not." Ash said. "What are you doing in that cage? Is Team Rocket holding you here?" He bit his lip as he saw two fang-like incisors sticking up from the boy's bottom row of teeth. He could only guess what had happened.

"I have to stay here." The boy explained. "Otherwise, I get in trouble."

"What's going on here?" James asked, walking onto the scene with Amy behind him. "Who the fuck is this?" The boy cowered from James' appearance. Ash turned around.

"I don't think he's comfortable with you being around, James." Ash said. "I think he's some kind of prisoner here."

"Well, no shit." James rolled his eyes.

"Not just that." Ash said. "I think he's one of us."

"Oh my God. He's just a kid." Amy said.

"What's your name?" Ash asked the kid. The boy looked over at James worriedly. Ash turned to James and nodded his head toward the other side of the room.

"Yeah, yeah. I get it. I'll look for an exit." James growled as he walked away, grumbling. Ash turned back to the kid. He squatted down so he was at eye-level with the boy. "Don't worry about him. He looks scary, but he's really not. So, what's your name?" The boy bit his upper lip, trying to avoid eye contact. "My name's Ash." Ash prompted, but to no avail.

"It's okay, honey." Amy said sweetly, kneeling down next to Ash. She gave the boy a big comforting smile. "He's a nice guy. We're not going to hurt you. My name's Amy." Her warm smile seemed to get thought to him, because he looked up into her eyes.

"Seth." He said. "My name's Seth."

"Okay, Seth. It's good to meet you." Amy said. "What are you doing here Seth?"

"I live here." The kid said quietly, pulling at a long string on his rage hem. Amy looked at Ash in confusion.

"Are you sure? Don't you have a home and a family?" She asked.

"Just my dad."

"And where's he?" Amy continued.

"He works here sometimes." Seth said softly. "He goes a lot of places. Everyone calls him Boss."

Shivers went down Ash and Amy's spines. "Boss?" Ash asked wearily. "Your father is Giovanni?"

"I've heard some people call him that." Seth mumbled. "My dad's scary."

"Did…" Ash took a deep breath. "Did he ever put any needles in you?"

Seth became very quiet. He went back to staring at the bottom of the cage. After a few moments, he spoke up softly. "Yes."

"Son of a bitch." Ash hissed. "That bastard experimented on his own goddamn child."

"Are you sure?" Amy asked.

"Look at him Amy!" Ash said. "He's part Gastly!" Seth was starting to shrink away. Amy looked at Ash pleadingly.

"Calm down, Ash. You're scaring Seth!"

"I…I…" Ash tried to verbalize his feelings, but they kept getting lost on his tongue. "Damn him! His own fucking kid!" Ash pounded the ground with his fist. The resulting clang caused Seth to jump to up to his feet. The top half of his body passed through the roof of the cage as if it wasn't even there. Ash and Amy slowly turned to him and saw that he was half in and half out of the cage. Ash cocked his head to the side in confusion. Seth seemed to realize what he did and quickly ducked back down inside the cage, going through the steel plate a second time.

"You can walk through walls?" Ash asked.

"…" Seth played with his rags nervously again.

"Seth? Honey?" Amy asked, crawling close to the cage.

"…Not just walls. All sorts of stuff." The kid replied.

"If you can escape at any time, then why stay in that cramped cage?" Ash asked.

"I told you!" Seth spoke up suddenly, louder than before. "If I leave I get in trouble!"

"What kind of trouble?" Amy inquired.

"Dad….He said if I leave my cage, I will be in trouble and….and he will have to take it out on the other kids."

The hairs on the back of Ash's neck stood up straight. "Other kids?" He asked weakly. Seth nodded. "These other kids...are they like you and me?" Ash asked, hoping Seth would understand. Thankfully, the boy did.

"No, but he said he will have to work on them if I ever leave this cage." He went back to his rags. "I don't want them to be hurt like me."

Ash breathed a quick sigh of relief. "Do you know where the kids are?"

"Yes." Seth nodded. "They are looked away in Cell Block E."

"Do you know where the laboratory is where your Dad does that…work?" Amy interjected. Seth nodded a second time. "Could you show us?" Amy asked.

"But…my cage…the other kids…"

"You help us find them, and we will get them out of here." Amy said. She looked at Ash imploringly. Ash nodded in assent.

"…Promise?" Seth asked after a few minutes.

"Promise." Ash said. "Now let's get you out of that cage."

"I think we all need to get out of here." James said, walking back onto the scene. A mechanical device that looked like it was ripped from the wall was in his left hand.

"Just a moment, James." Ash said, watching Seth shrink back again in James' presence.

"No. No more moments." James tossed the machine onto the floor next to Ash. It chipped apart as it hit the ground, but it's obvious what it was. It was a surveillance camera. "They know we're here."

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In a small room illuminated by hundreds of small television screens along one wall, two men were busy staring at the one black screen in the whole lot. The man sitting in the chair pulled a cigarette out of his mouth and put it out on the arm chair. "Should we sound the alarm?" He asked.

"No." The large man standing by the armchair said. "Let them think they are safe, Zach. That way we can strike when they least expect it."

"Fair enough." The sitting man stood up, adjusting his jacket. He tapped the other man on the shoulder, leaving a lingering metallic sound in the air. "Let's go, Voulger. The hunt is on."

To be continued….

* * *

**Outro:** Looks like trouble for out heroes. They had a hard enough time with one Team Rocket Hybrid, I don't know what they'll do about two. We'll just have to wait and see if they all survive this next encounter. 

Again, I'd just like to thank everyone who reads and reviews this story, espceially those who review every chapter and give words of encouragement. You guys are great and I love hearing about how you're connecting with the characters and how the story makes you feel. It lets me know I'm doing my job right. I'm excited to see where this story goes and glad I can take you along with me. Please continue to read and review and I promise I will finish this story and make the whole trip worth it!

Until next time,

- T.E.


	12. Traction

**Intro:** Welcome back, readers! I have another insanely long chapter for you. In fact, I think this one if longer then the last chapter of the last iteration. When did these things get so long? Geez...well, I'm sure you won't complain . There is a lot going on in this strand and there enough twists, turns, and dramamtic reveals to satisfy even the most diehard fan (at least I hope). So sit back, grab a soda, and enjoy the action! As you may have guessed, I do not own Pokemon or it's characters.

* * *

**Hybrids: Fifth Iteration**

**Strand 2: Traction**

The moonlight overhead was the only available source of illumination in the extended canyon of Red Rock Valley. Silently, Gary led Lance, Bruno, Lorelei and ten of the League's top trainers through the darkened pass. His eyes narrowed at the long path ahead of them.

"With all respect, Master Oak," Lorelei spoke up eventually, "don't you think this could have waited until morning?"

"No." Gary said finitely. "Every minute we waste, another atrocity happens. You heard about the events about a week ago in Port Sapphire, right? About the dock house that was obliterated? Ketchum and his partner killed six innocent people." His glare deepened. _How could you do this, Ash? Why did you have to change so much?_ "That's not going to happen again, mark my words."

"Then are you sure we should be going through here?" Bruno asked. "Why not start at a nearby town? Like Emerald Village?"

"The report I got from the Office Jenny in Opal Town said this was the last known sighting of Ketchum." Gary responded. "It's the best place to start looking."

"I agree with Master Oak." Lance said, his cape flowing in the cool September breeze. "He knows the Ketchum boy better than any of us. This is out best lead."

"If you insist." Lorelei adjusted her glasses. "I'd feel safer in daylight, though."

"If you are worried about safety, you should have stayed behind with Agatha." Gary said harshly. "We're hunting a couple of people who are part Pokemon. Violent, mentally unstable people."

"And leave you guys by yourselves?" She scoffed. "Without my cool head, you'd all fall apart."

"You know, Lorelei, I'm surprised you aren't crushed under the size of your own ego." Lance said, hands on his hips.

"Can we please concentrate?" Gary asked, irritated. "I don't want to miss something because you guys are yapping on like-" He didn't get to finish his sentence. An explosion rocked the side of the valley. Gary held his hand over his head as debris flew at them through the dust cloud. Sounds of rolling rocks and crumbling walls pierced the air. When everything settled, Gary opened his eyes could see through the thinning dust that an avalanche had happened behind them, creating a large wall of boulders from the side of the canyon wall. It not only prevented them from coming back the way they came, it also cast a large shadow over them, as the moon was positioned behind the wall.

"Is everyone all right?" Gary asked. There was a chorus of responses and all ten trainers were accounted for. Lance stood up and dusted his knees off.

"What in the hell was that?" He asked. Bruno grunted and walked up to the wall.

"It looks like a series of Electrode Explosions." He said, surveying the damage. "I can't say much beyond that."

"An ambush?" Lorelei asked. Gary gritted his teeth.

"Someone's expecting us." He growled. "Keep your eyes open, guys." Everyone looked around uneasily. Yet, no one saw anything. The valley was empty and so were the tops of the canyon walls. There wasn't a single person around for miles.

"Hey!" Came a cry from one of the trainers by the wall. Everyone turned to look at him. He was holding his hand up in the air above his head. The boy was staring at his hand as well, as if he wasn't controlling it. "What gives?" He asked. The hand slowly waved goodbye to everyone and then the trainer's throat exploded in a volcanic eruption of blood. The other trainers screamed as the boy's eyes rolled up into his head. He collapsed to the ground, blood still leaking from the gash in the boy's neck.

"Taylor!" One of the female trainers screamed. She ran to his side and kneeled down by him. "Oh, God! No!" She sobbed, tears falling from her eyes. "You can't die! You can't! Our child…just a few more months! Taylor, please!" She openly cried for a few moments before a large hole appeared through her torso as if she was run through with an invisible spike. She shrieked in pained horror before collapsing on the dead boy's body.

The other trainers began to panic and run around. Gary's eyes were opened wide in horror. He had lost control of the situation and he couldn't resume command if he wanted to. Thankfully, Lance stood up. "Everyone! Calm down! We need to reestablish order!"

"Fuck that!" One trainer shouted from the back. "We need to get the hell out of here before AUUGH!" He screamed as a large gash ripped across his stomach. Amid a waterfall of blood, his intestines began to pour out onto the ground. The trainer screamed in torture, unable to stop his internal organs from pouring from his open wound. He fell to his knees and proceeded to die violently.

One by one, each trainer was killed; their throats getting cut, heads split open like ripe cantaloupes, midsection being torn in two. It happened so suddenly, it was as if the darkness itself was killing them.

"Bruno!" Lorelei shouted in fear. "We have to stop this!"

"We can't!" He shouted back at her. "Everyone! We need to leave the shadows!" He turned to run when he felt something grab his shoulder from behind. He turned around to face his attacker, but saw nothing behind him but darkness. "What manner of trickery is this?" He snarled. His question went unanswered as he felt his upper arms get slashed open. Bruno screamed as his muscles were torn asunder, leaving his arms useless. Something, possibly an elbow smashed into his face, breaking his nose and causing him to collapse onto the ground.

"Bruno!" Lorelei yelled. She turned to Lance and Gary. "We need to get out of here!" Lance turned to Gary and nodded.

"Bruno is down. We need to get out while we still can." He turned around, but was instantly thrown through the air until his body crashed into the nearest canyon wall. He slumped to the ground, head hanging in defeat. Gary watched Lance, hoping for future movement, but received none. Out of nowhere, a pair of hands grabbed him by the shirt.

"What in the…?" Gary started, but felt himself get flung through the air toward Lance. His head hit the rock wall and the Pokemon Master fell down next to Lance. He groaned in pain and tried to get back up, but was instantly assaulted with a flurry of punches out of nowhere. He felt his ribs shatter one by one and blood oozed from his mouth. His eyes flittered shut and he lost all consciousness.

"No…" Lorelei said quietly, no realizing she was all alone. Everyone else was either dead or out cold. She turned and sprinted to the edge of the shadow. _Almost there….just a little further….just a little…_She was stopped a few feet short as something in front of her grabbed her by the throat. She coughed and choked in surprise. Suddenly a pair of invisible lips pressed against hers in a cruel, painful kiss. She wanted to cry out, but couldn't. She reached to her waist to grab one of her Pokeballs, but the shadows struck back, slicing her wrist open. Lorelei screamed into the invisible mouth as rivulets of blood dripped from her wrist down her skirt and onto the cold ground. She felt a pair of teeth bite her lip before pushing her to the ground. The teeth held on, ripping off a chunk of the woman's lower lip. Lorelei screamed, tasting blood from her missing flesh. She hit the ground hard and seconds later, something lifted her head and smashed it back into the ground with enough force to give her a concussion. Lorelei stopped wriggling and fell dormant.

There was a sickening silence as the bodies cluttering the valley lied motionless. After a while, a figure appeared at the top of the canyon wall. He slowly made his way down the rocky slope before reaching the edge of the shadows. His slicked back hair and pale skin shone in the moonlight.

"You did a good job." He said into the darkness.

"Why thank you, Captain Avarice." A female voice said. Slowly, Cassandra walked out from the darkness. Her fingers were stained crimson with blood. She smiled to him, and then sensually began to lick the blood off her fingers.

"Did you kill them all?" Avarice asked once he finished watching her.

"All except for the big leaguers." She laughed. "And the mole of course."

"Of course." Avarice smiled. He walked into the shadows, carefully stepping over Lorelei's body. He walked up to Gary's body, which was slanted against the wall next to Lance's. He coughed politely before speaking. "You can get up now."

Lance's eyes opened slowly, then he grunted as he stood up. "About time." He said, stretching his back.

"You did a fine job as well." Avarice said.

"Your girl didn't seem to think so." He grunted. "She didn't have to throw me _that_ hard." He dusted his cape off.

"Had to make it seem real." Cassandra said from somewhere around them. She had become part of the shadows again. "If you're feeling that sore, maybe I'll make it up to you later." She laughed cruelly and Lance grunted.

"Okay, I delivered the brat and the other two Elite Four members." Lance said. "Now I believe my reward is in order."

"Ah yes." Avarice said. "Your reward is waiting for you back at our headquarters, Dragon Master."

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It was raining in Opal Town. Droplets of water pounded mercilessly on the hospital rooftop. Delia Ketchum blinked unhappily as she looked out the window at the dreary skyline. It was dark and cold, both outside the building and inside her heart. A plate of food sat untouched on a nearby tray.

At the sound of a knock at her door, Mrs. Ketchum turned around. She was sitting on the edge of her small bed and could easily see the door to her room. She cleared her throat, unsure if she could even make a sound.

"Come in." She said weakly. The door opened and Doctor Conway stepped in. He adjusted his glasses and cleared his throat.

"I apologize for bursting in like this," he said, "but I have news about your son."

"My Ash?" Mrs. Ketchum brightened up immediately. "Where is he? Is he all right? What's going on?"  
"Just a moment, ma'am." Conway held his hands up. "It'll be easier if you come to my office where I can explain it better. Why don't you go get dressed and I'll bring you there immediately."

"Of course!" Mrs. Ketchum looked down at the nightgown she wore, then ran over to her dresser, grabbed a few items and ran to her bathroom. "Stay right there! I'll be right out!" She closed the door hurriedly. Conway smiled, then reached into his pocket. He pulled out a cell phone and dialed a number as fast as he could. After a few rings, a gruff voice spoke up on the other end.

"What is it?"

"This is Clayton." Conway said. "I've found the third target. Bring the van around. I'll be out on just a few minutes." He hung up and put the phone away as the bathroom door opened up. A properly dressed Mrs. Ketchum came out.

"I'm ready!" She said. "Let's go!"

"Yes, let's." Conway nodded and opened up the door to the hallway. Mrs. Ketchum hurried out before him and Conway grinned maliciously at her back before closing the door behind them.

o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o

"I still think this is a bad idea." James growled unhappily. "One, I don't like having to trust this kid. Two, I don't want to have to go looking around for a bunch of dumb brats."

"Those 'dumb brats' are a bunch of scared kids that Giovanni is going to turn into hybrids." Ash said harshly. "Even if you have lost enough of your humanity to care, you should at least be smart enough to realize we don't want any more hybrids running around after us."

"And that's the only reason I haven't ditched you by now." James replied. Ash rolled his eyes. James, Amy, Seth and he were sneaking through one of the long metal corridors that had branched away from the power station. Despite James' worrying, no alarm had sounded after being recorded on a surveillance camera and they were free to move about the base.

"I think cell blocks D-G are on level B-4. The laboratories are on B-5." Seth said meekly, his weak voice barely managing to rise above the sound of their footsteps. He was floating a few inches off the ground rather than walking. "There should be some service elevators if we keep going in this direction."

"How do you know all this?" James asked gruffly.

"I don't get let out of the cage very often. The only things I get to look at are maps of the factory when guards come to feed me. I memorized the layout pretty quickly."

"Lucky thing we found him, huh?" Ash asked.

"Yeah, lucky." James said. "Now we have a sneaking party made up of four people. Three was pushing it, but now we're just asking for trouble."

Ash didn't fight back, instead opting to follow along in silence. As much as he loathed to admit it, James had a point. But he didn't regret freeing Seth and he wasn't going to regret saving these children. At least, he hoped he wouldn't.

They reached the dilapidated service elevators moments later. They were rusted and didn't seem the least bit trustworthy, but Ash insisted they take it. Ash hit the call button and one of the sliding doors opened with a loud creaking moan. The inside walls were covered in soot and dried blood, and the whole room was shaking unstably. James and Amy both turned to look at Ash, Amy with a confused expression and James with a glare. Ash shrugged and grinned. "Going down?" He offered. James groaned and walked into the squeaking elevator cart, tapping his foot lightly to ensure it would hold them. Ash followed next, with Amy and Seth following.

"What floor are we on right now?" Amy asked.

"B-7." Seth said. "We need to head up three levels." Amy nodded and hit the button for B-4. The elevator car squealed and sputtered, but eventually got moving. The car shook uncontrollably and the ride was unbelievably bumpy. The ascent was painfully slow.

"Well, at least it moves." Ash spoke up.

"For whatever good that does us." James said. "I just hope the damn thing doesn't crash."

"So are you guys…um…" Seth spoke up, but his voice quieted down as the other three turned to look at him. He lowered his eyes and his mumbled the rest of his question. "Are you guys here to kill my dad?"

Amy looked at Ash, unsure of how to answer. Ash looked up at James in hopes of finding help, but the bigger man just shrugged. Ash took a deep breath and put his hand on Seth's shoulder. "Seth," he began, "your father…he's not a nice man. He's hurt a lot of people and he plans on hurting a lot more." Seth didn't say anything. He continued to look at the ground. "We have to stop him somehow. He can't keep doing what he did to you and me to other innocent people."

"He killed my mom." Seth said suddenly. Ash's eyes widened.

"He did?" He asked weakly.

"He told me…he told me he did it." Seth's eyes started to get wet as he blinked away teardrops. "He said I needed to get used to death. Because….because I'm going to kill people too." He looked up at Ash, pain radiating in his eyes. "I don't want to kill people! I don't!"

"Oh, man." Ash muttered under his breath. "Seth…you're not going to have to kill anyone, okay? We're going to get you out of here."

"I hate him for killing mom!" Seth yelled. It was as if a dam burst and a flood of malicious, repressed feelings were gushing forth. "I wish he was dead instead!" Ash looked over at James pleadingly, but the other man held his hands up as if to refuse responsibility. He glanced back at Amy, who was covering her mouth in horror. "Does that make me like him?" He asked softly. Ash realized this must have been bothering the kid for a long time.

"You're not like him." Ash reassured the boy. "Not in the least. We're going to stop him, Seth. I promise." At these words, James raised one eyebrow suspiciously. Seth sniffed and wiped his nose on his sleeve.

"I just don't want him to hurt anyone else." He whispered. Ash straightened and took a deep breath. Amy leaned close to Ash and put her mouth by his ear.

"Do you really think you can stop all of Team Rocket?" Amy asked quietly.

"I don't know." Ash admitted. "Maybe if we had some kind of army to lead…but just the three of us?" He shook his head. "I just wanted to give that boy some hope. I think he really needed it."

"I think we all need it right now." Amy sighed. The elevator came to a grinding halt as the button for B-4 lit up. The door swung open and the four hybrids came face to face with a firing squad of Rocket grunts, all aiming their automatic rifles at them.

"Shit!" Ash yelled and grabbed Amy's wrist, pulling her behind him. Seth screamed and turned around, running through the back wall of the elevator, disappearing from sight. James jumped up, digging his claws into the weak material of the ceiling and pulling himself up flat against it. The Rockets hesitated only a moment before unleashing a torrent of bullets into the elevator.

Ash quickly hit the button to close the door and pulled Amy to the side of the elevator, pressing his body against the wall. There was just enough space between the door opening and the side of the room to hide their bodies. Debris and dust filled the air as a hailstorm of bullets pulverized the back of the elevator door, filling it with holes. Eventually, the grunts stopped firing into the room and a momentary silence filled he air. There was a pleasant dinging sound and the doors began to close.

Ash took a deep breath and turned to Amy. "Are you okay?"

"I think so." She said. "I think one almost clipped my wing, but it's not bad."

"Good. James?" He looked up, but James was gone. So was one of the panels to the ceiling, revealing the long and dark elevator shaft above them. James stuck his head in the hole, glaring angrily.

"What the fuck are you waiting for? They're going to open the door at any minute! Get up here, goddamn it!"

"Wait! Where's Seth?" Ash asked.

"He ran away through the wall." Amy informed him. "I watched him disappear."

"Damn." Ash hissed. "All right, wrap your arms around me." Amy nodded and put her arms around his chest, holding him tight. Two vines burst free from Ash's back and reached up through the hole, wrapping around the two main bales that held up and worked the elevator car. Ash pulled himself and Amy up through the opening onto the roof of the car. James quickly replaced the missing ceiling piece as they heard the door open again.

"Now what?" Amy whispered. The elevator started to rock and shake as more bullets were poured into the room. She held onto Ash for stability.

"Grab one of the cables." James said. "Hurry!" Ash quickly took hold of the left steel cable. Amy joined him, entwining bother her arms and legs around it. James grabbed onto the other cable and began to climb up a bit. Ash and Amy followed his cue and advanced up the large wire. They heard some confused shouts and the clunking footsteps of several Rockets entering the elevator car to look for them.

"Hold on tight." James hissed. He wrapped his legs around the cable before letting go of his hands. He tipped backwards, now hanging up side down. He swung his claws around wildly, cutting both of the large cables holding the elevator in two. The small wires connecting to the car snapped easily and, with frenzied screams from its occupants, plummeted down the elevator shaft into the dark abyss. Moments later, there was a resounding crash from bottom.

"Time for action." James said. With a grunt, he lifted himself up so he could grab into the cable again before jumping off onto the nearest wall, digging his claws in deeply. He scurried around the open shaft like a spider before stopping right above the door. He quickly swung into the room, removing his claws from the wall and landing on one knee a few yards away from the shocked Rockets, who were still gaping from watching half their numbers go down in a broken elevator. James lifted up his right hand, revealing that his claws were now glowing a dull red color. He drove it into the ground, causing the floor to shake. The Rockets stumbled to gain balance before one of them shouted at the widening fissure that James had created, which was approaching them at an alarming rate. Many of them dropped their guns and turned to run away, but the weakened floor crumbled beneath them and they fell down through the ground, tumbling onto the floor below. Surprised gunfire was followed by the sound of bones breaking and pained groans.

James removed his hand from floor and stood up. He turned back to the opened elevator shaft. "Well? Are you coming or what?"

"One minute." Ash responded, still clutching the cables. His vines were still out in the open and the plant-like appendages held onto the frame to the door. "Wait here." Ash said to Amy before propelling himself through the doorway like a slingshot. He screeched to a halt a few feet from the massive hole in the ground that James had created. He shot James a questioning glance, to which the older man just shrugged. Ash sighed and walked back to the door frame. His vines shot out again and wrapped around Amy's waist.

"I have you." Ash called out to her. "Do you think you can use your wings to help slow down your fall?" Amy nodded and she let go of the cable. She started to fall, but Ash held her steady with his vines. He held his feet steady as her weight pulled on him. Her wings flapped and, although she couldn't fly, it helped her glide in the air as Ash reeled her into the doorway. She soared right into his waiting arms and Ash helped her get her balance.

"Thanks." She said softly, blushing slightly. "I couldn't have done that by myself. My wings don't support my…" He voice trailed off as she saw the large gap in the floor. "What happened here?"

"I took care of our problem." James said gruffly. He was holding one of the automatic rifles that the grunts had dropped.

"How do we get past now?" Amy asked.

"We're going to go down a floor." James said. He walked over to the edge of the hole.

"But the prison cells are on this floor, James." Ash said.

"Yeah, but the lab is down there. In case you forgot, Casper's gone now." James said. "We're no longer obliged to go after the little brats anymore."

"James!" Ash shouted at him. "Those kids need our help regardless of what we promised! Besides, aren't all those guards still down there?"

"Not for long." James said. He pointed the rifle into the hole and pulled the trigger. He released the entire remaining clip into the hole, amid yells and screams of pain. When the gun finally ran out of bullets, there were just a few more garbled cries for help before the hole fell silent.

"Now if you ladies feel like joining me, I'll be on my way to find the stuff Bill needs so we can stop devolving." With that, James dropped the empty gun by his side and jumped into the pit. There was slight squashing sound as James landed on the pile of dead bodies.

"Well?" Amy asked. "What do we do now?"

"I don't want to get separated now." Ash said. "Plus, James will need you to find the right ingredients for Bill." He shrugged "We'll have to find the kids on the way out." He walked over to the hole in the floor. It was about a ten foot drop down. James was looking back up at them. He grinned mischievously, then turned and started to walk away. "Aim for the bodies." Ash said and jumped down to the level below. He landed in the pile of dead carcasses, the impact painful, but not damaging. The sound of squishing beneath his shoes filled his throat with bile, but he swallowed it and looked back up. Amy was peering in after him. He held his hands out to catch her, but the girl jumped in and used her wings to slowly descend to the floor. She landed on the ground lightly, managing to avoid the pile of bodies. She flashed Ash a smile.

"Show off." He muttered.

"You're the one who gave me the idea." She said sweetly. She hurriedly rushed off to catch up with James' retreating back. Ash shook his head, gingerly made his way out of the body pile, scraped as much blood of his shoes as possible, and followed them down the hallway.

"So…no alarms or anything." Ash said once he caught up with them. "How the hell did those grunts know where we were? Or that we were even here?"

"I don't know." James responded seriously, "Something's going on though. Something I really don't like. We need to grab our shit and get out."

"Nothing ever goes according to plan." Ash grumbled.

o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o

They had walked around Level B-5 for a long, uneventful time before they came across a wooden door with a keypad lock on the side. The black sign to the right of the door read 'Testing Room 5'.

"Well, well, well." James smiled as he read the sign. "What do we have here?"

"This looks like a good place to start." Ash said. "But it looks like we need some kind of key code to get in…"

James didn't respond. He simply turned to the door and drove his claws into the wood. Moving them like a saw, he cut a rectangle in the door before knocking thw ood out of place, leaving a small hole to get through.

"No." He said as he turned to Ash "We don't." He immediately stepped into the room through the hole in the door.

"Very subtle, James." Ash said as he followed the other man. "Like a snoring Gyrados."

"Subtlety went out the window when we dropped a goddamn elevator car full of Rockets down four floors." James said. "We're no longer operating on stealth. It's about speed now." He looked around the dark room. He could see, but not very well. He felt along the wall until he reached a light switch. He flicked it on and half the room illuminated, leaving the other half of the room still plunged in darkness. The light bulb was dim and the available light was very low. James looked around the room. Much to his dismay, it didn't look much like the room from the Garnet City breeding center. There were not jars upon jars of various liquids or endless test tubes and beakers. Instead, the walls were full of large containers and crates. It looked more like a storage room then a laboratory.

"Well this sucks." James growled.

"Maybe…maybe it's all in the crates and boxes?" Ash offered. James grunted.

"This is going to be a pain in the ass." He sighed. "Let's get to breaking."

"Wait." Amy said softly. Ash and James both turned to look at her. "Look over there." She pointed along one of the walls. Instead of crates, the all held large metal cages.

"Cages?" Ash asked wearily. "Why does that sound really, really bad to me?"

"Probably because it is." James said. "This is a testing room, remember."

"Oh God!" Amy blurted out. "What if one of those kids is in there?"

"Only one way to find out." Ash said. He hurried over to the nearest and largest cage. That portion of the room was still half enshrouded in darkness and so was the inside of the cage. Ash leaned over so he could look in through the steel bars. "Hello?" Ash asked into the silence of the cage. "Is anyone in there?"

Suddenly, a pair of large teeth flew out of the dark and snapped down on the bars. Ash yelled in surprise and tumbled backwards onto the ground. As the two large front teeth gnawed at the steel, two stubby, hairy arms were reaching out at Ash, trying desperately to grab at Ash. The boy scooted away, eyes still wide. Amy quickly ran to his side, squatting down next to him.

"What in the world is it?" She asked as the heavy breathing and snarling continued from inside the cage.

"I don't know…" Ash said slowly. The snarling continued for a few more minutes before the steel bars began to creak ominously. "Uh-oh." Ash whispered. The bars suddenly broke off the front of the cage. A portly middle-aged man scurried out of the cage. He was covered in brown hair and he had enormous front teeth both on the top and bottom set. Long whiskers protruded from his cheeks and he sniffed at the air like a mouse. A long rodent-like tail protruded from his lower back, curling up on the floor behind him. He was hunched over, clicking his tongue against his teeth. Although he was covered in hair, it was easy to see that he was naked. He focused his beady eyes on Ash.

"RATICATE!" He shouted loudly.

"What the…?" Ash started.

"Rat! Rat! Raticate!" He screamed again before charging at Ash. Amy jumped out of the way as the portly hybrid rushed up and opened his unusually wide mouth. Ash lifted his arm up to block his face and winced as a set of sharp teeth closed around his arm. The bite got fiercer and Ash yelled out. Blood leaked down his arm from under the man's teeth. Ash tried to wave his arm about to get the man off, but it only proceeded to dig the teeth deeper into Ash's skin. The man gnawed away at the arm until a chunk of wood hit him on the head. He turned his eyes to Amy who was glaring at him.

"Let go!" She yelled and her eyes flashed white. The man screeched and let go of Ash's arm before stomping around in a daze. Ash held his hand up to examine the damage. The wounds from the bite were deep and blood trickled down his arm openly. He grimaced and immediately got to his feet. There wasn't time to worry about his injuries now.

"Cate! Raticate!" The man howled, trying to orient himself.

"What's wrong with this guy?" Ash asked, rubbing his arm.

"Don't you get it?" James asked, walking up to them calmly. "He's devolved too far. He's more Pokemon than human at this point. He's even forgot how to speak English."

"You mean…this is going to be…us?" Ash asked weakly, watching the hybrid stumble about. His stomach flopped back and forth. All the times he lost control of himself in anger or lust was flicking through his memories and he felt sick to his stomach. In a way, he had almost become this several times.

"Not pleasant, huh?" James said. He held his arm out, pointing his claws at the creature. "Let's put the damn thing out of its misery."

"Raticate!" The man growled, seeming to get his head in order. He snarled and dashed at the men again, his front teeth poised to bite down again. Ash's vines ripped out from his back again and extended out to wrap around the man's hairy arms, holding them open. The man thrashed angrily against the impromptu restraints. James ran up to the man and drove his claws deep into the hybrid's stomach. The man squealed, coughing up blood and saliva.

"Ra…Rati…" He groaned, its thrashing coming to an end. James pulled his claws out roughly, eliciting another squeal from the hybrid. He slumped to the ground, weak, but still breathing. Ash retracted his vines.

"Might as well finish it." James said, lifting up his claws. Ash nodded in agreement. Amy winced, but continued to watch. From out of the darkness, a flying metal bar interrupted them, landing a glancing blow to James' raised arm. There was a loud cracking sound and James lowered hi hand immediately, following a string of curses. "What the fuck was that?" He hissed angrily, holding his throbbing elbow.

"I can't have you killing my poor pet off so quickly." A gruff voice said from the darkness.

"Who the hell are you?" James yelled back.

"Someone's who's looking to stop you from getting any further."

"What is with you Rockets and hiding in the damn shadows?" Ash asked. "Cut the damn dramatic reveals already!"

"Getting testy?" The man laughed. "I guess I can't blame you. You are going to end up like poor Samuel here soon, aren't you?" The Raticate hybrid groaned weakly at the mention of his name. The words were like a punch to the gut for Ash.

"You didn't sound the alarm." James said matter-of-factly. He stood up, still rubbing his arm. "You knew we were here, and yet you kept it a secret. Why?"

"I want to take you down myself." The voice got closer until a man stepped out from the shadows. He was wearing black jeans and no shirt. His skin was covered completely in metal and several large screws protruded from his body and his arms were two different colors. "Ever since you killed my teammate, Klaus, I've been itching to have a crack at you myself."

Ash gritted his teeth at Klaus' name. His eyes scanned the man's metal body. His mind flashed back to his fight with Klaus as a Scizor and he realized how much he hated fighting someone with steel skin. He narrowed his eyes in thought. _What is he? Skarmory? No…there would be wings…_

"Klaus, huh?" James laughed. "You were teammates with that punk? I guess you won't be that much harder to take care of. Klaus died like a little bitch."

The man's eyes turned to slits and he growled. "I think you will find fighting Voulger Heimell will be a little more challenging." Amy gasped audibly in surprise.

"So you're Voulger." James laughed. "I expected more from your Poke-mails."

"Underestimating me will be a big mistake." Voulger warned him. "But first, let's take care of some unfinished business. He reached to his side and pulled out a Pokeball. It expanded to full size and Voulger tossed it at Samuel. It hit the man on the head and opened up. Samuel let out a last squeal of pain as his body started to tear apart and eventually turn into a bright red light. He disappeared into the Pokeball, which wiggled side to side momentarily before falling dormant.

Ash, James and Amy's mouths all fell open in surprise. This was an unexpected turn none of them had expected. Ash was the first to speak, although his words were jumbled slightly. "You…you just caught him in a Pokeball!"

"Astute observation, Ketchum." Voulger held his hand out and the Pokeball flew back through the air until it stopped in his hand. It shrunk down to it's travel size and he reattached it to his belt.

"How can you do that?" Ash continued. "He's still part human! You can't just…"

"What's wrong? Didn't expect to have to deal with that too?" Voulger laughed. "You're part Pokemon, good and bad. Which means you can easily be captured…and trained."

"You mean…"

"Samuel is under my control now, yes." Voulger grinned. "He has to do my bidding. And although I'm under instructions to kill both of you," he motioned to Ash and James, "I think Miss Amy Rosary would be an excellent addition to my team." Amy stumbled back a few steps at that, holding her hand to her mouth.

"Like hell she will!" Ash growled, stepping front of her protectively. "The only person in trouble is you, Voulger!"

"How did he know my name?" Amy whispered in shock.

"Enough talk!" James shouted at Voulger. "I am sick and tired of you sons-of-bitches getting in my way!"

"Fine by me." Voulger shrugged. "Let's make this interesting." He held out his blue-tinted arm. The metal bar that had struck James' arm flew back into Voulger's hand. Ash's mind flicked on like a switch.

"James!" He shouted at him. "He's part Magnemite!"

"Clever." Voulger smiled. He transferred the bar from his blue arm to the red one. "Let's see if you are as fast as you are smart." He held his hand out and the bar flew through the air at Ash like a bullet. Ash's eyes widened at the unexpected projectile.

James quickly intervened, using his claws to slice through the bar. The two halves fell to the ground as the attack took the energy right out of them. James wheeled around on Voulger. "Any more fancy tricks?"

"Just a few." Voulger swished his metal red hand around and the cage that held Samuel burst into metal shards before flying at the trio. Ash held his hands up to block his face, but Amy stepped out from behind him.

"Amy!" Ash yelled. "Watch it!"

"I am!" She said, and her wings beat wildly, producing a strong enough wind to stop the metal shards in their tracks. The pieces flew back a bit before clattering onto the floor.

"Cute." He said. "But that's not going to stop me." He rushed forward at them. Ash was taken aback slightly by how fast such a large man could move. James quickly intercepted the man, swinging his claws against the man's chest. Surprisingly, the claws scraped along the metallic surface, not able to pierce the steel skin. The only evidence he even hit was a few stray sparks and some scratches.

"No fucking way." James said in awe. Voulger snorted and grabbed James' arm. He easily lifted the man into the air before chucking him across the room. The man's body collided with the far wall, crashing into one of the large wooden containers. James slumped to the ground in pain.

Ash watched James get tossed around like a rag doll and he grunted in frustration. He held his hand out, ready to unleash a torrent of razor leaves until he remembered how ineffective they were against Klaus's metal body. He immediately decided on a new strategy. His pores opened up and he unleashed a cloud of leech seed into the air. Voulger didn't even seem to notice. He stormed right through the spores and punched Ash in the face. The metal fist hit his face hard and Ash flew back onto the ground from the force of the blow. He coughed up blood onto the floor and he noticed one of his teeth was lying in the pool of blood he had spit up.

Amy tried to back away from the man, but Voulger reached a massive hand out and grabbed Amy by the throat, lifting her off the ground. Her wings beat furiously and she struggled to get out of his grasp, but Voulger held tight.

"Butterfree, huh?" He asked rhetorically. "Guess that means you're a flying type, huh?" His blue arm began to spark erratically. Amy's eyes widened and then she screamed as hundreds of volts ran through Voulger's arm and into her body. She flailed in pure pain as the electricity surged through her body. She felt like her entire being was on fire. Tears flowed down from her cheek freely from the massive pain, which only served to conduct more electricity.

"Ash!" She screeched into the air, her throat starting to constrict. "Help me!"

"Amy!" Ash managed to lift himself off of the ground. He spit out another mouthful of blood, then charged at Voulger. The big hybrid turned to the smaller man and, with a grin, held his free, red-colored arm out. Ash stopped in his tracts suddenly as he felt himself get lifted by his belt buckle. "What in the?" Ash started, but Voulger flicked hi wrist and Ash flew backwards, smashing his back against a metal table. Ash groaned at the rough contact and more blood oozed down his chin. Amy's screams continued to pierce the air.

"Bastard!" Ash yelled through a mouth full of blood. His vines tore out of his back and rushed out, wrapping around Voulger's legs. The big man gave a quick questioning glance seconds before Ash tugged his vines back with all the might he could muster. Voulger's electrocution ended and Amy fell from his grip as his feet were pulled out from under him, causing him to crash onto the ground with a deafening thud. Amy rolled around on the ground, clutching her throat and coughing wildly. Her neck was badly burnt where Voulger's hand had been.

"Cheeky little brat." Voulger snarled and reached down to his feet and grabbed the vines that were entangled with his ankles. His arms started to spark again and currents of electricity surged down through the vines into Ash's body. Ash yelped from the sudden shocks in his body and he cringed in pain. His vines untangled themselves from Voulger's body, but the man still held onto them with his hands. Suddenly, the electricity stopped and Ash noticed it was because James had returned to the fight and he was currently diving at Voulger's downed form.

Voulger lifted his right arm and James' claws clashed with the metal arm, causing no damage. James swiped again, and Voulger continued to block. "It's no use, James!" Voulger shouted. "You can't pierce my steel skin! You can't touch me!"

"Your eyes sure the hell ain't metal!" James growled and tried for the face. Voulger snarled and continued to use his hands to stop James's slashes. Eventually, Voulger grabbed James' right arm in mid-swing. With his other hand, he reached up and grabbed James' face. The sparks traveled along his arm a third time, and unleashed a torrent of volts into James' face. James grunted loudly before grabbing Voulger's hand and wrenching it off of his face. Voulger's eyes widened in shock at James' crazed expression. A small rivulet of blood came down over James' eyes, but he was otherwise unharmed.

"Ground type, bitch." James said and struck out at Voulger's face. The man turned his head to the side as the claws struck against the man's cheek. More minor scrapes adorned his face. Voulger quickly elbowed James in the exposed stomach, causing the man to double over from the force. He pushed James away with his forearm and rose to his feet. "Stupid brats." He snarled. He held his blue arm out and the shattered pieces of metal from the broken cage floated into his hand, forming into a condensed ball of metal. He switched the ball over to his red hand and shot it out at James. The high-velocity chunk of metal struck the recovering man on the chest and sent him hurtling backwards into the wall behind him. James grunted and slid to the ground, unable to move without sending pain throughout his body.

Ash hurriedly crawled over to Amy, who was still writhing in agony. Ash put his hand on her shoulder and she recoiled in fright before realizing who it was. "Are you okay?" Ash asked weakly, and he had to spit up some blood that had been collecting in his mouth.

"I…I…" Amy tried to say, but her throat hurt too much to speak. The tears in the corners of her eyes said enough and Ash held her hand reassuringly.

"Don't worry. James and I will take care of this asshole." Ash said.

"Don't be so sure." Voulger said from behind him. Ash pivoted quickly to see Voulger standing up, James dangling from the grasp of his red hand. His head was hung in defeat and his clothes were stained with blood.

"James!" Ash yelled to him.

"Don't bother." Voulger said. "It's over for him. I just wanted to make sure you were watching when I crushed his head." Ash panicked as he looked around the room. There had to be something he could do. He couldn't let James just die. Not after everything they'd been through. Out of the corner of his eyes, he noticed that James' claws on his right hand were starting to glow a faint red color.

With a smirk, Ash realized he wasn't down and out yet. A plan clicked into Ash's head and he quickly searched the ground for some metal. He found one of the metal bar pieces lying by his feet. Ash quickly scooped it up and chucked it at Voulger. In surprise, the Rocket dropped James and used his red arm to reflect it back at Ash. The boy barely managed to dodge the flying hunk of metal, but he kept his eye on James. As the man hit the ground, he quickly sprung into action, driving his glowing claws into the floor. The ground shook and the floor around Voulger began to split and crumble. The immense weight of his metal body caused the area around him to crack and fall apart quicker.

"You bastard!" Voulger shouted, but only seconds before the floor beneath him gave way completely and he tumbled down to the floor below. The distance between the levels B-5 and B-6 was greater than that between B-4 and B-5 and Voulger's body was lost into the darkness beneath them. James felt the floor beneath him crumble away as well. He tried to grasp onto the edge, but he found himself tumbling down as well.

"James!" Ash shouted and his vines propelled out to the hole, hoping to grab James before he was lost. To his immediate relief, Ash's vines found a wrist and he began to pull James out of the hole. Unfortunately, the man proved to be heavier than he had hoped and Ash was feeling too weak to get him up. He tried to pull backwards, but he found himself sliding closer to the hole rather than pull James out of it.

Suddenly, Amy wrapped her arms around Ash's waist and helped him pull James out of the abyss. Eventually, James was able to grab onto the edge and pull himself up. He panted wearily as he clutched his chest. "God…dammit…" He grunted.

"That was a close one." Ash said. "A fucking Magnemite…" He opened his mouth and fiddled about with the gaping hole in the side of his smile. "Damn…he completely knocked out one of my teeth."

"I think he knocked out one of my ribs." James groaned.

"Well, as much as I'd like to rest, we need to get moving before he mobilizes again." Ash stood up. "We need to get out of here, fast."

"Not without the antidote ingredients, we aren't." James hissed. "I am not ending up like Samuel." The name made Ash cringe. Facing his own fate continued to shake him up.

"Good point." Ash said weakly. "There's a door on the opposite end of the room. Let's get moving." He stood up slowly and helped Amy to her feet. She was shaky on her feet, so Ash put her arm around her to support her. He tried to do the same for James, but the man shrugged him off.

"I don't need any help." He growled. Ash sighed, but didn't press the issue.

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Deep in the darkness below, Voulger growled to himself. He had been so close. Giovanni would have been so proud if he managed to take care of both the errant hybrids. He would have even been promoted to second in command. All taken away because of a cheap shot.

_Well, they're not out of the fire yet._ Voulger smirked to himself. He reached into his pants pocket and pulled out a phone. He hit the top speed dial button and waited for a response.

"What is it?" The voice on the other end said.

"They got away, Zach." Voulger replied.

"Pity." Zach replied. "Shall we go after them?"

"No. Not yet. They're headed into the supply room. Giovanni has something set up for them there." He sighed. "Give them fifteen minutes. Then call in the largest squad you have."

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Ash, Amy and James entered the large room and smiles immediately plastered their faces. The room was what they had been hoping for; beakers full of liquids, pouches of powder and vials of different chemicals. The walls were lined with everything they needed and more.

Amy was about to break away from Ash to take a look around when she felt Ash go rigid. She followed his eyes to a table in the center of the room. On it was a large television set and a small gift wrapped in pink wrapping paper with a bright red bow. Ash's quizzical look mimicked hers and James snorted.

"Well, that's certainly unexpected." He said. He hobbled over to the table and looked at the gift. He turned back around. "It's addressed to you, twerp."

Ash frowned and walked up to the table as well, Amy still attached to him. He looked down at the gift. Sure enough, the tag read: _To Ash Ketchum. Play the Video before opening._ Ash looked over at the TV and the VCR beneath it. Ash bit his lip nervously, but turned the set on and pressed he button anyway. There were a few seconds of static before Giovanni appeared on the screen. He was sitting behind a desk, smiling his smug tight-lipped smile. Ash's eyes narrowed angrily. After a few second of silence, he finally spoke up.

"Congratulations on getting here, Ketchum. I can only assume my former employee is there with you. You two have continued to amaze me these last few weeks. So much so that I went ahead and got you a gift." Silence for a few moments longer. "I know you're apprehensive, but don't worry. It won't hurt you." More silence. "Go ahead and open it."

Ash looked at James, who just shrugged. Slowly, Ash pulled the ribbon off of the present and ripped up the wrapping paper. Giovanni watched on in silence through the video tape. As Ash tore away the last bit of paper, the gift was revealed: a small jar of viscous liquid. In it was an eyeball. It floated there passively, nerve endings still attached, yet brutally torn apart, as if it was carved out with a knife. James raised one eyebrow.

"Well…that's certainly a unique gift." He put his hand son his hips. "Giovanni sure has eccentric tastes."

"That's disgusting." Amy said. Ash stared at the eye,

"But why give me it?" He asked.

"Wondering why I gave you an eyeball?" Giovanni finally continued speaking, eerily answering the question. "Look harder at it." More silence followed. "What's wrong, Ketchum? Don't recognize whose it is?" Giovanni let out a low laugh as if guessing at Ash's confusion. "I'm not surprised; it's not like he opened them up very often."

Ash eyes widened in recognition. He let out a loud scream and fell backwards onto the ground in shock. He pointed at the eyeball shakily and scuttled backwards like a crab, his mouth hanging open.

"Ash?" Amy asked worriedly. Ash just yelled in shock again as a response. His eyes were dancing with disbelief and fear. His breathing had gone erratic and his lips were quivering, unable to make any sounds except panicked cries. _No way…it-it can't be! No! Not Brock!_

"Did you really think you could just fuck around with my plans and get away with it?" Giovanni stared into the camera, his taunting voice becoming as cold as ice. "Did you really think I wouldn't impose consequences?"

"B-B-B-" Ash tried to speak, but he couldn't form the words.

"Did you think leaving your friends would keep them safe? I'm afraid you're wrong, Ketchum. Dead wrong."

"BROCK!" Ash finally screamed, tears streaming down his face. "Oh God no! Brock!"

"Son of a bitch." James growled under his breath. Amy was covering her mouth in shock, unable to say anything.

"You see," the TV continued, "anything you take away from me and I can just as easily take from you." Giovanni's smug smile returned. "I wonder how your friends Tracey and May are doing."

"You bastard!" Ash got to his feet, still crying uncontrollably. "I'm going to tear you apart!"

"Now then, now that you know how serious I am, I think we should discuss your next move." Giovanni folded his hands together. "If you somehow manage to sneak out of here alive, I suggest you come to Emerald Village in six days. There we can negotiate your friends' release. I only want you and James. I can let go of my other hostages in exchange." The edge returned to his voice and his glare hardened. "And you will arrive in six days as well. If you are late, you will be receiving another gift from me. What will it be this time? Maybe one of your little redhead's fingers?"

"**You goddamn son of a bitch**!" Ash screamed, rushing at the TV. He grabbed the edges of it, shaking it like mad. Giovanni's smug grin continued to bore into Ash's mind.

"Six days, Ketchum. Don't forget." He lit up a cigar and started to puff on it. "Your friends are counting on you." The tape ended suddenly with a few more seconds of static before the screen went blank. Ash's breathing was hollow and rough. His hand gripped the edge of the television set like it was all there was.

Amy looked over at James uncertainly. James sighed and pinched the bridge of his nose. "Fucking Giovanni." He growled. "That bastard has no limits."

"Ash?" Amy stepped closer to him. He didn't respond. His back rose and fall slowly as he tried to control his breathing. "Ash, are you okay?" Still no response. The worry in her eyes and voice could not be hidden. "Ash?"

"AUUUGH!" Ash screamed as loud as he could, causing Amy to back off in surprise. He drew his fist back and punched the screen of the TV. His hand went right through, shattering the glass with a loud, piercing crack. "Cock sucking mother fucker!" Ash screamed and he withdrew his bleeding fist before punching the TV again. "Goddamn fucking piece of shit! Son of a bitch!" He screamed again, tears running down his face anew as he continued to punched the television screen until all the glass was broken. He then grabbed the entire TV and lifted it above his head. "Rotten shit-fucking asshole! FUCK!" He threw the appliance as hard as he could and it shattered against the nearest wall, sending metal parts flying everywhere.

"Oh my God." Amy said softly. _I've never seen him like this before!_

"Calm down, kid!" James shouted angrily, but Ash didn't listen. He just screamed again and pounded his fist into the table repeatedly; leaving sloppy blood stains with every hit from his cracked-open knuckles.

"Shit! Fuck! Goddamn it!" He kept crying out, his profanities slowly getting softer as his punches got lighter and further between. Eventually he stopped altogether and collapsed against the table, sobbing.

"Oh, Ash." Amy ran over to him. She put her hands on his shoulders.

"Brock…" He mumbled. "Giovanni tore his eye out! And he's got Misty too! She has to be so scared!" He trembled at the thought of what Giovanni might do to her. "I…I thought I could protect them…I thought…" He closed his eyes as tight as possible. "My friends are as good as dead and it's all my fault!"

"No it isn't, Ash!" Amy assured him. "This is all Team Rocket's fault."

"I should have been there to protect them…" He mumbled to himself, lost in his own thoughts.

"Snap out of it, twerp!" James shouted at him. "This isn't time for a breakdown! We still need to watch out for-" He didn't get to finish his sentence. The doors to the room burst open and seven Rocket guards ran in, all holding automatic rifles. They lifted them up and pointed it at the trio.

"Stop right there or we'll shoot you!" The leader yelled. James turned to face them and growled. This is what he didn't want. Amy looked at them in shock, then back down at Ash. The boy had gone completely rigid. His eyes were crazed with anger and fury. His breathing started to get erratic again. His fists clenched together until his knuckles started to pale. He suddenly pushed Amy away and straightened up, letting out an unearthly scream into the air. The Rockets all turned at him in surprise. They slowly lowered their weapons in awe as they noticed that Ash was starting to glow a bright white color. Amy and James looked on as well, unable to tear their eyes from the howling form of their friend.

Ash wasn't consciously aware of the changes he was undergoing, but he knew what was going on. He felt his skin toughen up. His body got stronger and more muscular. His skin became bluer until it settled on a teal color and his blue spots turned a dark navy blue. His two front incisors lengthened and became sharper. He felt himself get infused with a new level of energy he never knew existed.

When the glowing ceased, Ash's howls died down and everyone got a look at his new body. Amy gulped in shock. James couldn't say anything. The guards held their guns up wearily. They had no idea what was going on, but they didn't like it. "Again! Stop or we'll shoot!"

This time, Ash turned to face them. His pupils were gone completely, replaced by a bright yellow glow emanating from his eyes. The Rockets looked at each other in fear. This was getting more and more unusual by the minute. Ash took a deep breath then opened his mouth with a loud scream. A bright yellow beam shot out of his mouth like a cannon at the guards. The men yelled and tried to run, but the beam was too fast. It caught them off-guard, engulfing their bodies. The pure heat from the ray melted their skin as they yelled in horror. The pain only lasted a few seconds before they were completely vaporized from the pure heat. Ash closed his mouth, ending the scream and the beam. A pile of ashes and non-immolated body parts were all that remained of the guards.

"Holy shit." James said in awe. He looked over at Ash, who's eyes has stopped glowing and were returning to their normal blood red pupils. He was breathing hard and still staring straight ahead. James walked a little closer to him. "Ash…calm down." He said as softly as he could. Ash flipped around to face him, raising his fists up in a battle position. He eyes James uneasily. "Ash, it's me; James." James said slowly. "Are you okay?" Ash looked at him for a few moments before opening his mouth and answering him.

"IVYSAUR!"

James and Amy both stumbled back in surprise at this outburst. Amy looked at James in worry at what this might mean. He wasn't aware of it, but James was looking back at her the same way.

"Ash…stop scaring us." Amy said in denial. "You're really okay, aren't you?"

"Saur!" Ash yelled at her. "Ivy ivy!"

"Oh no…" Amy said softly.

"Ivysaur!" Ash yelled again before turning and running out of the room at full speed, leaving his former friends behind.

"Oh, fuck me." James growled. He turned to Amy and tossed her the empty backpack he was wearing. "Get everything you can from this room! I'm going after the kid!" With that he sprinted out of the room, hoping to chase Ash down. Amy bit her lip as she looked out the door at James' fleeing form, then her eyes trailed to the mess Ash had made of the TV, then finally to the eyeball on the table. She took a deep breath and immediately hurried over to the shelf and collected as many of the ingredients as she could.

To be continued….

* * *

**Outro:** How's _that_ for a chapter, eh? I hope you're all at the edge of your seats after that one. A lot of people correctly predicted that Ash was going to evolve into an Ivysaur hybrid, but I don't think anyone predicted that this was going to happen to him as a side effect. Plus, he finally learned a new move!

In other news, I think this contains the most profanity I've ever written in a single chapter of a story. And it's about time James did something besides slash people's throats. He hasn't used his Earthquake ability since the fourth chapter. And how many people thought Gary was Team Rocket's mole in the Pokemon League? Be honest.

As usual, here's your move list for quick reference:

Ash's Move List - Vine Whip, Razor Leaf, Leech Seed, Solarbeam

James' Move List - Slash, Swift, Earthquake, Sandstorm

Amy's Move List - Sleep Powder, Whirlwind, Confusion

Voulger's Move List - Thundershock, Electrolevitate

Clayton's Move List - Transform

Cassandra's Move List - Quick Attack, Pursuit, Faint Attack

Samuel's Move List - Hyper Fang

So that wraps up this episode of Hybrids: Outbreak. The next chapter won't be so long (at least I don't think it will. This Iteration has kinda spun out of control and there's a lot left to happen.) Please review and let me know what you think, what surprised you, what you saw coming, and what you'd like to see. Thanks for reading and see you next time!

- T.E.


	13. Evolution

**Intro:** Wow. Three updates in as many weeks? I am a machine! Not a particularly well-oiled one, but a machine none the less. Maybe something steam-powered. Anyway, I present to you the next chapter of the story. There is a LOT of violence and gore in this one, and I think I even made _myself_ queasy at one point, so there's your warning right there. So hold onto your socks, or they might just get rocked off because episode 13 starts now! FYI: I do not own Pokemon or its characters.

* * *

**Hybrids: Fifth Iteration**

**Strand 3: Evolution**

Beads of sweat rolled down James' forehead as he ran down the long, empty hallway. His breathing was ragged and his legs were starting to give out from overuse. But he couldn't stop running. He could never stop running.

His head swiveled around like turnstile to look behind him as the sound of plodding footsteps. His eyes narrowed and he growled unhappily. His pursuers were catching up with him. He wasn't running fast enough. He revolved his head back around to the front before trying his hardest to sprint faster than before.

There was shouting from behind him, followed by gunfire. James ducked his head down to protect it. Several bullets whizzed by his ears, sounding like speeding Beedrills. He searched frantically from some escape from the linear hallway he had been condemned to.

Then he yelled out as he felt a bullet pierce through his left leg. The muscles quivered and ceased responding to James' brain waves. Without any support, James crashed to the linoleum floor. He scratched around on the ground, trying to turn himself onto his back. When he managed to do so, he could see the three Rockets approaching him, gun barrels still smoking. His eyes widened as he managed to make out the leader of the group. Her long scarlet hair was unmistakable.

"Jessie!" James yelled. The sudden burst of energy sent waves of pain surging through the lower half of his body. He let out a groan in agony. "Jessie…"

His eyes trailed up to her face, and his body began to shake as he watched her lift her gun up to him. "Jessie?" Her name rolled off his tongue again, his voice wavering. He had expected to see something on her face, like anger or sorrow, but he got neither. Her face was like an emotionless stone. She pulled the trigger. Once, twice, then a third time. The first bullet struck James's right shoulder and he screamed in pain. The second bullet caught him in his gut, causing him to bleed profusely, oozing down his stomach and staining his shirt. The final bullet ended his torture; it made contact right between the man's eyes, exploding out the back of his head in a crimson mist, sending chunks of brain and bone flying against the floor behind him. James' eyes rolled up into his head and he fell to the ground in a puddle of his own blood.

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Jessie woke up in a cold sweat, sitting straight up in bed. The bed covers slipped off her bare chest as her hands immediately went up to the side of her head. _Oh God…Oh no…not again…_ Jessie's breathing was uneven as she tried to control herself. The last lingering images of her dream continued to plague her mind, just as they had the last few nights. She closed her eyes and groaned. _Why? Why did his memory have to haunt her like this?_

She knew exactly why. Her eyes slowly turned to the man lying down on the bed next to her, peacefully asleep. His eyes were shut and his mouth was pulled up in a smug smirk. A smirk she wished she could get rid of, once and for all. It was the same smirk he wore the every time they shared the bed together. The same smirk he had every time he forced himself on her. The smirk that had become synonymous with his position as Team Rocket leader.

She wanted to kill him so badly. He was fast asleep and she thought about how easy it would be to grab her Stun Rod from her hastily discarded uniform and bludgeon him to death before he woke up. But she couldn't bring herself to do it. Even if she truly believed she could kill Giovanni, this…this demon of a man, what would she gain? He had many loyal followers, and it would only result in her father's execution. She had given up so much for her father; her dreams, her virginity, her best friend. It would be foolish of her to throw it away now.

_Like I threw away James_. She could feel her emotions getting ready to betray her again, and she shook her head. No…she was done crying. She had to deal with the consequences of her decisions. She turned to the window of her room and looked at the moon through the clouds. And that was the purpose of the dream, to make her deal with consequences. It wasn't a gun, or an abandoned hallway, but she pulled the trigger nonetheless. She pulled the trigger on her best friend.

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Deep inside the coal and lumber mill situated outside of Topaz Town, the halls were filled with the sounds of gunfire and screaming. Ash ducked and weaved around an onslaught of poorly fired bullets. His blood red eyes were devoid of any sign of humanity and ire flowed through his mind like blood through his veins. He didn't know why he was so angry; all he knew was that he would not be satisfied unless a lot of people died.

The nearest Rocket to him screamed as he tried to fire off a round at point-blank range, but Ash was too close to him. Before the guard could react, Ash grabbed his face and slammed his head into the nearest steel wall. The man's skull dented inward and left a crimson blood splatter at the point of impact. He then turned and tossed the body at another Rocket. Surprised, she grabbed the limp man in her arms. Slits opened up in Ash's wrists and razor leaves poured out, flying through the air. They cut right through the back of the man's head and neck like butter, and sliced into the face and throat of the woman. She fell to the ground in a heap, not alive long enough to even scream.

Ash snarled and jumped through the air with inhuman capability, landing near another Rocket. He grabbed the man's wrists and gave them a sharp twist, snapping the bones with ease. There were yells of pain, but Ash silenced him immediately, delivering a hard uppercut on the man's chin. His jaw shattered and he bit down hard, severing his own tongue. He hit the ground hard, knocking himself unconscious. Blood filled his mouth like a pool until he eventually drowned in it.

Ash suddenly felt a sharp sting in his shoulder as a bullet landed just under the blade. "SAUR!" He screamed in pain. He turned around angrily, trying to find the one who had shot him. A lone grunt stood behind him with a smoking gun barrel. The man pulled the trigger a second time, but there was only a clicking sound. His eyes widened when he realized he had an empty clip. He slowly looked up into Ash's vermillion pupils and swallowed nervously. Ash yelled out as his vines ripped out from under the skin on his back and darted at the man. They flew through the air wildly, their unpredictable and erratic movement keeping the man frozen in fear. The vines honed in on their target, driving themselves into the man's wide eyes. A viscous white liquid burst from his eye sockets as he let out a howl of pain. He clawed at where his eyes used to be, trying to remove the wiggling vines. Ash yanked the vines out of the man's skull with a sickening ripping noise. What was left of the eyeball and nerve endings fell to the ground, no longer attached to the man's head. Blood flowed freely down his cheeks and the man collapsed to the ground, unable to do anything but scream in horror. Ash contemplated finishing him off, but decided to leave him as is. He turned and looked around. The only other people around him were dead bodies on the floor. He grunted unhappily. His instincts were telling him to get the hell out of this metal prison, but he didn't feel vindicated yet. The driving urge to hurt those around him still retained its unshakable grip on his mind. He had to find more victims.

The tortured screaming from the eyeless man on the floor finally got to Ash and the boy pivoted on one foot to face the Rocket. He held his hand out and let loose a torrent of razor leaves into the man's bloody face until his voice died out. Ash turned and continued down the hall, hoping to find more Rockets he could kill.

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James rushed through corridors of bloodstained walls. He guessed he was going the right direction to find Ash. He growled to himself subconsciously. He was hoping the kid was going to really get in touch with his darker side, but not this much. He hadn't expected the kid to react this violently. And now…now he might be too far gone.

_Dammit! He wasn't supposed to go first! It was supposed to be me! What kind of sick, messed-up world allowed **me** to hold onto my mind longer than Mr. Goody-Two-Shoes? If anyone deserved to live, it was Ash._

James nimbly vaulted over a dead body and stepped to the side of the head lying several feet away. He couldn't believe this was the handiwork of the same guy who only a few hours ago had pleaded with James not to kill the guards at the front of the gate. What had been done to some of these bodies was sadistic. _But it wasn't Ash who did this_, his mind reminded him, _because the kid wasn't Ash anymore. He had become someone else._

The path suddenly forked and there was blood splatter in both directions. James came to a halt and swore profusely. _Now which way?_ He had no clue where Ash went and both hallways were bloody enough to indicate that me night have gone that way. _How the hell did that kid get so fast?_

James heard some footsteps behind him and he quickly turned around, holding his hands up to show off his bone claws. His arms slowly drooped and his face fell when he saw the familiar figure. "Z-Zach?" He asked.

The man smiled as he continued to walk closer. His black hair was now bright orange and he was wearing a brown jacket with a white fur collar. He had his hands in the pocket and a singular smoking cigarette hung from his lips. His wild eyes met James' and he shrugged impassively.

"Hey James. Haven't seen you around lately." Zach grinned. His smile revealed his sharp teeth.

"…" James felt his stomach flop. Zach had been one of his closest friends in Team Rocket before he got paired up with Jessie and Meowth. The fact that the man was now on the opposite team as him was only half his distress. The fact that his appearance was altered enough to indicate that he had been turned into a Hybrid made up the rest.

"I know what you're thinking. Sorry to say, it's true. I've been sent here to stop you."

"Zach. You don't need to do this." James started. He didn't want to have to kill his old friend. Klaus and Voulger were one thing, this was quite another.

"Look, no hard feelings." Zach said, shaking his head. "I don't want to kill you either. But the fact is, you turned traitor. And now you're going to go kill some of my other friends. I can't have that, you know?" He took the cigarette out of his mouth and tossed it to the ground. He stomped on it hard, leaving only a trail of smoke. "I wish it wasn't this way, but this is how it turned out. We have to play our roles. Nothing personal, that's just how it is."

"Nothing personal, huh?" James growled at him. "That's a load of shit."

"Please." Zach sighed. "Don't get argumentative. Let's just fight. Like we did when we sparred back in the old days."

"One last time, for old time's sake?" James asked, sarcasm dripping in his voice. "Something like that." Zach shrugged.

"Sorry to disappoint you, pal, but I have a full agenda and rekindling our old rivalry isn't on it."

"Oh, don't worry about your friends." Zach shrugged. "The crazy one will pass out from overexertion soon enough and Voulger is tending to the Butterfree girl as we speak."

"What?!" James yelled. "You have got to be kidding me!"

"I'm afraid so." Zach said. "So you really have no real option then to deal with me right now."

James' mind reeled. On the one hand, Ash was out of his mind and has lost all control of himself, along with his logical reasoning side. He wasn't just in danger from the Rockets in the base, but from himself as well. But on the other hand, Amy is physically less capable of handling herself then Ash is, especially considering the boy was now running on instinct, and she was up against that metal monstrosity of a man who easily fried her neck last time they fought. And she was carrying the supplies that Bill needed. James swore out loud. And before he could get to either of them, he had to deal with Zach.

"You know what, Zach? You win. But I'm going to make this short." James dashed at the man, his claws gleaming in the light from the overhead fixtures. Zach smirked slightly before opening his mouth and breathing out a large fireball. The flame hurtled at James' body and, wide-eyed, the man barely managed to hit the ground and avoid getting toasted. The fireball struck the wall behind James, dissipating into a cloud of smoke and leaving a scorch mark on the far wall.

"Nice trick." James snarled from his position on the floor.

"You always did like Growlithes, didn't you James? One saved you when you were younger, if I recall correctly." Zach smiled. "It's almost ironically fitting that one end up killing you."

"If you think I'm going to let you kill me, you have another thing coming!" James held his hands up and a whirlwind of sand formed around his feet. Zach arched an eyebrow.

"Funny. I didn't see any sand here before." He remarked seconds before the sand flew everywhere in a massive sandstorm. Zach quickly lifted his arm to block the sand from hitting his eyes. His other hand fished into his jacket pocket.

James got up from his knees and ran through the massive cloud of intrusive sand. He could see the faint out line of Zach's body through the dust and dove forward at him, claws ready. Believing he had the upper hand, James was completely caught off when Zach nimbly dodged the attack and grabbed James' upper arm. He spun around, knocking James off his feet and sending him to the ground. James hit the cement floor hard, rolling away and out of the sandstorm. He groaned and looked up as Zach walked out of the whirlwind of debris. He could see now that the other man was wearing pilot's goggles. Zach lifted the eyewear up onto his forehead and grinned.

"What? Didn't think I came prepared? Did you really assume that I didn't review all the footage we had of your fighting style?" He chortled at the look on his former friend's face. "You have some nice tricks yourself, James, but I already know them all."

"Son of a bitch." James said, slowly getting to his knees. "When we used to spar, we always made sure the match was fair. I didn't think you would be one to cheat."

The smile left Zach's face for a just a second before returning. "Hey, I'm not kicking you while you're down, am I?" He put his hands on his hips. "Besides, you can't tell me you're not thinking about fighting dirty." James didn't respond; instead he bolted forward from the kneeling position and drove his claws into Zach's midsection. The younger man grunted from the sudden jolt of pain through his sternum.

"You're right." James growled and he started to move his claws upward through the man's chest. Zach quickly grabbed James' wrist and yanked the claws out of his body. Blood flowed freely down his lower body from the open cut. He jumped backwards, letting go of James' arm and avoiding the man's second strike. He held his wound with one hand and glared at his opponent.

"Now that was a cheap shot." Zach glared. "Thankfully, this will heal soon enough."

"Then I'm not going to give it a chance!" James yelled and jumped to his feet before running full speed at Zach. The man opened his mouth and fired out another fireball. James weaved to the side as the flame passed by his head. Zach growled and opened his mouth again. This time, the flame didn't turn into a fireball and instead burst free from his mouth like a flamethrower. He moved his head back and forth, spraying the area in front of him with fire. James screeched to halt inches away from the moving flames. Zach closed his mouth, cutting off the flame before opening up again and firing out another fireball.

James cursed as he realized he was now too close to dodge this one. He lifted his arms up and crisscrossed them in front of his face. The fireball struck his forearms with incredible force. He groaned as he felt the skin on his arm singe and burn. The speed and power of the hit knocked James to the ground and the remaining reminents of the fireball passed overhead. James looked down at his forearms. They were horribly burnt, his skin a bright red. They throbbed with incredible pain and James had to bite his lip to keeping from yelling out. Remarkably, however, they were already starting to heal.

"Count yourself lucky that fire-type attacks aren't that effective against ground types." Zach said. He removed his hand from his stomach. The cut was still there, but it had stopped bleeding. He narrowed his eyes and pulled the pilot goggles down over his eyes again. James rolled backwards until he managed to plant his feet on the ground and lift himself up. Much to his dismay, Zach had started to run at him. _Well fine. If he wants to initiate the attack, I can catch **him** off-guard._

Suddenly, Zach's form went blurry and split into two faded mirror images, both still running in tandem. James' eyes widened in surprise. "What the fuck is this?" he asked, neither expecting nor getting an answer. The two duplicate Zachs split up, each running to one side of James, effectively flanking him. James growled, waited for the two to close in on him. They both started to speed up tremendously. With one swift movement, James whipped around and drove his claws into the Zach on his left. To his immediate horror, the claws passed through the charging body as if it wasn't even there. The apparition disappeared completely and James knew he had chosen incorrectly. He felt the real Zach tackle him from behind and the air left James' lungs as the hit knocked him off his feet. Zach continued to push him until they both slammed into the wall. James felt some bones crack with the impact of being between Zach's body and the steel wall. Zach backed off and James slumped to the ground in pain.

With a laugh, Zach reached down to grab James' collar. James quickly spun around, slicing the man's arm with a swipe of his claws. Zach growled and backed off, blood squirting out from the claw swipes. James got to his feet, glaring at Zach.

"This isn't over yet, buddy." He said angrily. "Not by a long shot."

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Amy finished putting the last plastic beaker in the backpack James had given her. She had to transfer some of the liquids from a glass container to a more durable one, but she managed to get everything they needed into the blue pack. Because of her wings, wearing it traditionally wasn't going to work. She lifted it up onto one shoulder, moaning at the weight of it. It wasn't something she couldn't handle, but she hoped she wouldn't have to do too much moving around because she was not going to be able to react quickly with the massive pack on her shoulder.

As if on cue, a gruff voice spoke up from behind her. "Hello, Miss Rosary. Find everything you need?" Amy whipped around quickly and saw Voulger standing in the doorway. The one doorway to the room. She tried to keep calm, but her eyes betrayed her fear; she could still feel his fingers on her neck and horrible shocks that had gone with it. "Looks like it's just you and me this time." He said.

"Stay back, Voulger." Amy said, backing up. "I have a backpack full of volatile chemicals. Many of which can me mixed together to create something very corrosive to metals."

"I'm scared." Voulger said completely without emotion. He stepped closer to her. "You wouldn't waste it. You need it. Or at least your friends do."

"How do you know so much about me?" She asked quietly, the question on her mind not willing to go away.

"That would be courtesy of my partner." Voulger said with a smile. "She had quite a bit to share about her sister."

"Wait…what?" Amy asked in bewilderment. There was no way…

"Cassandra." Voulger said. "She's my second-in-command. I gave her that position after she gave you to the boss for testing."

"She…she's your…" Amy's words died away. She knew her sister was a Rocket and that she had sold her up the river, but this was too much. "Is she…is she…?"

"A hybrid?" Voulger laughed. He knew she was stalling, but he was having too much fun watching her sorrow. Amy nodded silently. "Yes she is. And she's a damn good one too. She has killed a lot of people."

"…" Amy's mind was screaming at her to stop thinking about her sister and start coming up with a plan. She glanced around the room nervously, hoping to find someway out of the room. She cursed the fact that were on a basement level of the base, that meant no windows anywhere. Voulger started walking toward her again and Amy realized if she moved any further back she would be flush against a wall. She started to sidestep over to the table next to the broken TV set.

"Now, if we're done playing 20 questions, I'll just cut to the chase and take that backpack from you."

"You're not getting it." Amy said with as much determination as possible. She reached the edge of the table, keeping her gaze on Voulger.

"Oh, really?" The Rocket asked. "There wouldn't happen to be any metal in that pack, would there?" He held his blue arm out and the backpack started to rise up and float toward Voulger. Amy held fast to one strap, trying to keep it from moving. Much to her dismay, she felt herself starting to get pulled along with the pack. Her mind wildly tried to come up with an idea. When she couldn't think of one, and started to feel her grip loosening, she went with instinct. She reached over and grabbed the jar of viscous liquid that was still lying on the table. With all her might, she chucked it at Voulger. He raised his red arm to repel it, but upon realizing it wasn't made of metal, immediately stopped his magnetic pull and carefully caught the flying jar. His eyes narrowed when he saw it wasn't filled with any dangerous materials, just an eyeball. He looked back into Amy's eyes to see what the hell she was thinking. Her pupils flashed white.

Voulger yelled from the sudden headache and dropped the jar on the floor, shattering it. He gripped his head as sounds and colors bled together, mixing up his senses. He staggered about in confusion, unable to figure out where Amy was. He could hear her footsteps echoing around him, but he didn't know where she was. He growled and started to run in one direction, but slipped on the liquid from the jar and fell flat on his metallic back with a resounding clang. The eyeball splattered under the weight of the massive hybrid.

Amy sighed in relief that her plan worked. She felt bad about Ash's friend's eye, but realized that was the least of her worries. She quickly darted to the doorway, knowing all to well that the confusion attack wouldn't last very long. She had to find James as fast as possible. She got lucky by herself this time, but next time might not go as well.

She heard a scream of frustration behind her and she began to run quicker.

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A solid punch to the face caused James to stagger backwards. Zach was proving to be just as formidable in hand to hand combat as he was with his fire breath, even when he didn't have to resort to the trickery of splitting into two images. James growled and swiped with his claws again. Zach dodged to the side nimbly. His face was scratched up badly from all the hits that James had managed to make contact with, but they were slowly healing and James had yet to score one solid strike beyond the one to his gut.

Zach grabbed James' shoulders and brought his knee up into the man's gut. James wheezed and doubled over in pain. Snarling, he burst free from Zach's grip and swiped his claws across his opponent's face. Leaning back, Zach managed to miss most of the attack, but the tips of the claws caught on and left long cuts along his face. He hissed in pain, but it didn't stop him. He took a few steps back, then charged full speed at James, sending the man stumbling back against the nearest wall. Waves of pain shot up his back as he slammed up against a pipe traveling up the wall. He placed his hand against the pipe and quickly withdrew it due to how hot it was. He got an idea and he followed the pipe up the wall and across the ceiling. Right over Zach's head.

"Okay, no more fisticuffs." Zach said. "My face is feeling just a bit too tender."

"What happened anyway?" James taunted back at him. "Ran out of fuel?"

"Let me show you." Zach said, took a deep breath, then opened his mouth and let out a massive fireball. James turned and used his claws to slice the pipe on the wall open. The sound of rushing gas hit his ears and James immediately ran out of the way as the fireball hit the gas stream. The air suddenly lit on fire and trailed up the pipe. Within seconds, the entire pipeline above Zach exploded violently, raining flaming debris down onto the man's head. Zach cried out in surprise as the explosion knocked him to the ground, singing his body. The fiery chunks of metal fell down around him until a large piece of pipe crashed down and landed across his legs. Zach howled out in pain like an injured dog. He tried to move, but his legs were trapped. When everything had settled, James walked back over to Zach, who was still struggling to free himself. He looked up at James. Much to the man's surprise, Zach sighed, stopped fighting and gave a good-natured shrug.

"Well, how about that. You win after all." Zach closed his eyes. "Alright. Go ahead and finish me off, will you? This piping has crushed my legs and it hurts like a bitch."

"No more tricks?" James asked. "Not going to shoot anymore fire at me?"

"Not if you promise to kill me quick." Zach said. "Trying to continue fighting you is only going to drag out the inevitable at this point and frankly, I'm in too much pain to do that."

"I don't believe you." James' eyes narrowed. "You don't just give up. You never have."

"Finish me off, James." Zach's voice gained a hard edge. "You'll regret it if you don't, I promise you. You won't get this lucky again."

"I don't want to kill you Zach." James said. "But I guess I don't have much of a choice, do I?" He sighed and walked over toward Zach, readying his bone claws to finish the job. Suddenly, the hot pipe chunk on Zach's leg lifted into the air. James stopped moving for a second as both he and Zach stared on in muted wonder. Then the pipe flew at James like a projectile. James shouted in surprise and swung his claws in front of him, slicing the piping in two, the pieces clattering to the ground next to him.

James' blood went cold as he put two and two together. He turned around to see Voulger staring at him, his blue arm extended outward. The man looked royally pissed off and was now directing his anger at him. James turned back to see Zach getting up to his feet unsteadily. He shot James a glance, smirked and shrugged, dusting himself off. James could only growl to himself in discontent. _Things just got really shitty._

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The hallway echoed with screams as Rocket grunts ran away from the imposing green-skinned figure that was busily tearing apart the few that stayed behind. The wild, uncontrolled rage that was fueling the hybrid was enough to scare even the most trained Rocket member into running away. When they acted like humans, it was one thing. When they were heartless monsters, it was quite another.

Ash growled angrily before turning to one of the few remaining Rockets. She gulped nervously. His pants and shirt was horribly blood-stained; half from him, half from other people. His arms and face were horribly bruised and cut up, but it didn't seem to slow him down at all. His red eyes focused on hers and the glare deepened. The newest mark on the boy's body, a cut along his cheek where the final bullet in her pistol had grazed his skin, was dripping fresh blood. Her eyes alternated between the cut and the boy's eyes before she quickly dropped her useless firearm and reached for her Stun Rod. Ash intervened quickly and grabbed her by the throat. She coughed and flailed wildly. Her eyes widened as she saw a razor leaf split his wrists open and fall into the palm of his hand. Ash let go of her neck and sliced the leaf across her neck as fast as he could. Her throat burst open and the scream she had been working on died quickly. Blood splattered against Ash's face, but he didn't seem to mind.

He turned around to face the last two remaining guards and as he did, he felt volts of electricity shoot through his body. Ash fell back against the ground in shock. He looked up at the last male Rocket, who was brandishing his red Stun Rod menacingly. "Pin him down!" He shouted and the female guard dropped down on top of Ash, holding his hands above his head. Ash struggled against her grip, but she was stronger than he had expected. He would have been able to overtake her eventually, but the man dropped to his knees and started to prod Ash's ribs with the Stun Rod. Each hit sent painful currents through his body, zapping him of his energy to fight back.

"IVYSAUR!" Ash screamed unhappily. Another strike from the rod added to the searing pain and Ash just couldn't take it anymore. He leaned his head forward to meet the female Rocket's face. He lashed out and bit her cheek. His sharp teeth tore into her flesh and he jerked his head back, tearing off a large chunk of her cheek. She screamed and immediately let go of Ash, clutching her cheek to try and prevent the rampant bleeding. Ash swallowed the flesh in his mouth, sat up, and held his arms out. Razor leaves shot out from under his wrists, tearing her body apart from such a close distance. She fell back off of Ash's lap onto the cold ground. The man, who was caught off-guard by Ash's attack, dropped his Stun Rod and turned to run away. Twin vines burst free from Ash's back and shot out at the retreating Rocket, wrapping around his ankles. Ash yanked back, causing the man to trip and fall to the ground hard. He cried out, scratching at the floor as Ash pulled him back. Ash growled and picked up the Stun Rod. He lifted it above his head and started to beat on the man mercilessly. The Rocket screamed in torture as the continual blows caused his muscles to spasm uncontrollably. Once he was sufficiently beaten, Ash dropped the red club and let loose a cloud of leech seed from his pores. The spores hovered around the man and his ragged breathing took it in. He started to cough and sputter as his energy was sapped from his body. Ash closed his eyes, took a deep breath, and felt the bruises and cuts on his body start to heal faster. The man squirmed with whatever energy he had left until he fell dormant, lacking the power to do anything.

Once he felt recharged, Ash opened his eyes again and looked over at the man on the ground. He wasn't breathing and Ash realized he took everything he could. Standing up, Ash brushed himself off. Subconsciously, he licked some stray blood off his face. He was ready to leave this place.

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James ran down the hallway as fast as he could, his footsteps being echoed by those behind him. A surprise sandstorm attack had thrown the two other hybrids into enough of a confusion for him to slip by, but Zach had those goggles and he knew he wouldn't get that much of a head start. By the sounds behind him, he guessed they had already given chase. His entire body was racked with throbbing pain and only the adrenaline boost from fighting was keeping him moving. His breathing was labored and he felt like his legs were going to give out any minute. He couldn't outrun his pursuers forever and he needed a plan to get him out of there.

And as soon as he rounded the corner and saw the large wooden door with a big glass window that read "Office E", the plan came into formulation. He ran up, drew his fist back and shattered the window. Glass shards flew everywhere, cutting up his knuckles and lower arm, but he was in so much pain the slight cuts were almost nothing to him. He grabbed onto the bottom of the window frame and hoisted himself up and into the room.

Voulger and Zach came around the corner moments later and noticed the shattered window and the glass pieces on the floor. Voulger snorted. "I guess he's not bothering to hide his tracks."

"It could be trouble, though." Zach stated. "James is clever and sneaky." He rubbed his legs furiously, wincing in pain.

"Then let's get him out and into the open." Voulger held his blue arm out. The hinges of the door began to shake until the screws that held it in place flew out of their sockets and clung to the Rocket's hand. Without the screws, the door simply fell down into the room, leaving the doorway open. The large dark room was seemingly empty. Voulger snarled and walked into the room, followed by Zach.

From his perch right above the doorframe, James watched them enter the room. His claws were dug into the wall to support him and he smiled at the backs of two figures. _Idiots! They didn't even think I'd be up here. And by removing the door, they've made my escape that much easier and undetectable!_

"He has to be hiding somewhere." Voulger said. He held his arm up and electricity charged through it, lighting up the immediate area around him "Let's get searching." _Yeah!_ James thought. _Go ahead and preoccupy yourselves!_

"Wait." Zach held his hand up. He sniffed the air slowly. "I can smell him." James' smile fell into a frown. _Fucking growlithes!_ Zach sniffed at the air two more times before slowly turning around. Realizing the game was up, James let go of the wall and dropped to the ground. _Time for some improvisation._ He jumped back out of the room, his claws glowing a dull crimson. He drove his claws into the sides of the door frame. Cracks scattered up the wall and into the ceiling. The weak wall started to crumble and the ceiling came after, causing a landslide of rubble and steel to land in front of the doorway. The debris piled up, trapping the other two hybrids into the office room. There was muffled shouting and swearing from behind the blockade. James exhaled sharply, partially amazed it worked so well. He knew even this wouldn't hold those two for long, and continued to run away.

He eventually came to a set of double doors. He pushed them open hastily and came face to face with the man he had been looking for. Ash turned around at the sound of the doors opening, focusing his wild eyes on James' face. His gaze dropped to the blood on James' claws, then back up to his face. His eyes narrowed in suspicion.

"Ash!" James shouted. "Thank god, you little twerp! I thought I'd never find you! Now, you have to snap out of it and get out of here."

"Ivysaur! Saur suar ivy!" Ash yelled back at him, not looking pleased at all.

"I can't understand a goddamn word that came out of your mouth." James replied. "Listen, we don't have time to fuck around! Get a fucking hold of yourself!"

"IVY!" Ash shouted back and his vines, still outside of his body, shout forward. James tried to back away, but happened too quickly. _Damn, he got fast!_ The plant tendrils wrapped around James' arms and held them out at his sides. James growled in frustration.

"You didn't just do that." He hissed. "I am not in the mood to-" He was cut off as Ash swung him around and into the nearest wall. The collision jarred Ash's head, making his teeth clatter from the impact. He groaned and tried to steady himself, but Ash swung him the opposite direction and into the other wall. The second hit was almost worse than the first and James could feel his consciousness starting to slip out of his grip. He was so damn tired and the pain just made him want to pass out. He struggled to keep awake. Ash went for a third strike, but James held fast and grabbed onto the vines, much like he had the first time they fought. _Apparently, this boy doesn't learn._ A more sinister voice in the back of his head said: _Maybe he doesn't even remember._

James yanked hard on the vines and Ash stumbled forward. James felt the sudden slackness in the vines and he darted forward so he could drive his knee into Ash's face. The strike hit Ash's jaw and, with a loud crack, Ash fell to the ground. The vines fell away from James' arms. James quickly jumped onto Ash, grabbing his wrists and pinning his arms above his head. "Now calm down, you son of a…" James' voice died out as he felt the skin around Ash's wrists separate beneath his palm. _What the-_

Suddenly, two razor leaves fired out from under Ash's skin, tearing right through James' hands. James screamed in pain and immediately let go of Ash's arms, staring at the slits that had been carved through the palm of his hands and out the back. Blood ran down his hands and onto his wrists. "Fuck!" He shouted in pain. Out of the corner of his eyes, he saw Ash start to sit up. James snarled, his pain and anger helping him to focus on what he was doing. With a shout, James dove back at Ash, balling his fists and driving his claws into the boy's chest.

"IVYSAUR!" Ash screamed, falling back to the floor from the impact. James knew he was high enough to avoid doing any damage too permanent, but that thought was almost at the back of his mind at this point. With a vengeful growl, He twisted his wrists to the side, tearing his claws through the boy's skin and muscles. Ash yelled out in searing pain, writhing from the feeling of his skin ripped apart.

" Now listen the fuck up." James hissed at him. "I am sick of this! Now get a grip!"

"Ivy-" Ash started, but James twisted the claws a little more. His words turned into pained groans.

"I know you're stronger than this, kid! You've always been strong!" He shouted. "Whether you remember it or not! You can beat this, do you hear me twerp? If not for me, then for Amy!" Ash's face showed no changes and James was getting frustrated, when an idea popped into his head. "Fine. I knew you were too weak. Too weak to save your friends." It was only a small, small movement, but James caught it. Ash's eyebrows had knotted up just for a second. He had made a breakthrough. "Brock, that poor one-eyed bastard, he gave up his sight for you, and this is how you repay him? Huh? And what about that redhead? Are you just going to abandon her? Are you going to abandon your precious Misty?"

That seemed to strike a cord. His eyes immediately changed to a look of fear, not from James, but from something else. He could see the boy's lips move. He couldn't have been sure, it could very well have been an "ivy" or a "saur", but he could have sworn it was "Misty."

"So, are you going to abandon your friends again, or will you fight this?" James asked. Ash seemed to fighting with himself, his head thrashing side to side. He grunted and groaned as his head shook violently. He was holding his breath and James was starting to think he was going to make himself pass out when he finally let the air out.

"I'M NOT GOING TO ABANDON THEM!" He shouted to the sky, or at least the ceiling. He was panting furiously. "I WON'T!"

"All right, all right." James said, his heart finally starting to beat normally again. "Cool it."

"I…I…" Ash said slowly and his eyes, seemed to focus. The wild anger was gone and the usual gentleness he was able to radiate with his eyes returned. He blinked twice before focusing ahead of himself. "J-James?" He asked.

"About time." James huffed. "You almost had me worried about you, you little prick."

"James?" ash asked again, his voice weak and garbled, as if he was re-learning to talk.

"What?" James asked, slightly annoyed.

"C-could you remove your claws?" He asked. "They really, _really_ hurt."

"Oh. Right." James quickly retracted his claws from Ash's chest. Ash screamed in agony. It hurt more removing them than it did having them in.

"Holy shit!" Ash panted. "Damn that stings! Ugh!"

"Serves you right, freaking me out then flinging me around like a rag doll." James growled. "You're lucky I didn't cut your damn balls off."

"I did what?" Ash asked, weakly. "What happened?" He looked around. "Where are we? Why do my teeth feel sharper? What happened to-" Ash's words died off and his eyes widened, as if memories were starting to filter back in. His face paled as much as the teal pigment of his skin would allow it to. "Oh. Oh my god." Ash said softly. "Oh Christ!" Ash turned and immediately vomited all over the floor next to him. He coughed and gagged, bile burning the insides of his throat.

"I take it you didn't like what you did." James said. Ash only responded with more vomiting.

"Oh…Oh no…I swallowed…I swallowed…" He managed to get the shaky words out in between the retching. He eventually came to stop, not because he regained control as much as he ran out of contents to throw up. He continued to dry-heave for a few moments before eventually sitting back. His eyes were wide and he was mumbling to himself. "Cannibal. I'm a goddamn cannibal."

"Will you cut that out?" James said, remorseless. "I didn't bring you back from your temporary insanity so you could drift back into it!" He stood up. "Now I need for you to go find Amy."

"Amy?" Ash asked.

"Yeah, Amy. She should have all the solutions and serums we need for Bill to make his antidote. Find her and get the hell out of here. I'll catch up with you later."

"Where are you going?" Ash asked, standing up.

"We have a two hybrid problem behind us." James said. "Voulger and a growlithe hybrid named Zach. I'm going to head them off and act as a distraction."

"By yourself?" Ash asked incredulously. "That's ridiculous! You'll need my help!"

"No, AMY needs your help. Besides, a grass type against steel and fire. You'll be a lot of help." James grabbed Ash's shoulders and gave him a shake. "Now go do what I tell you. And try not to go fucking insane again, okay?" He let go and started to run back through the double doors.

"No, wait! Stop, James!" Ash shouted after him.

"Don't try and stop me! Just find Amy, goddamn it!" And with that, he disappeared through the doors. Ash watched the doors swing back and forth as James vanished from view.

"But…but…" Ash's voice was already weak and it got even more unsteady. He stared down at his hands. They were covered in blood, some his, but most not. His whole body started to shake as the weight of everything crashed down onto him. He wanted to collapse and cry. His quiet voice spoke up again, speaking only to the walls around him. "But I don't remember what she looks like."

To be continued…

* * *

**Outro:** So, funny story. This Iteration was only supposed to have three chapters, like the other odd numbered ones. However, I got to page 20 of writing (The average number of pages per chapter is 20-23), and realized "Holy shit. I haven't accomplished anything in this chapter." Sure, there are some bad ass fight scenes, but nothing really _happened_. I realized that there wasn't any way in hell that I was going to be able to finished everything I wanted to put into this Iteration in this chapter and decided to split it up. So the first "Strand Four" chapter is going to be next and I hope to God I don't get sidetracked with fight scenes again and actually manage to finish this mission up.

This chapter actually would have been up sooner, but I started reading Eeveebeth Fejvu's fanfiction novella Cavern of a Million Colors. Three good nights of wasted writing later, I finally finished the damn thing and busted my ass to get this chapter done. If you think my chapters are long, go read Cavern. Dear god. On the plus side, I now have a new goal; to beat her total word count by the end of Outbreak. I think I can do it...it's only another 70,000 words. No biggie.

So, Your prerequisite Move List is as follows:

Ash's Move List - Vine Whip, Razor Leaf, Leech Seed, Solarbeam

James' Move List - Slash, Swift, Earthquake, Sandstorm

Amy's Move List - Sleep Powder, Whirlwind, Confusion

Voulger's Move List - Thundershock, Electrolevitate

Zach's Move List - Ember, Flamethrower, Double Team, Take Down

Well! Hopefully we can close the book on this Iteration next time. Until then, keep reading and keep reviewing, and I'll keep writing! Remember: the more reviews you leave me, the guiltier I feel about slacking off and playing Twilight Princess instead of writing! See you next time!

- T.E.


	14. Affliction

**Intro:** Welcome back! Sprry this took so long for me to finish up. I was struck with writer's block about halfway through. My style of writing often ends up with me writing myself into corners as well, and although I'm usually creative enough to work my way out easily, writer's block hampers that ability severely. And I really wanted to finish by the end of February too. Oh well, March 1st will have to do. Oh, and this is the longest chapter I have ever written, weighing in at 40 pages long. I hope you enjoy it! Now read on! You all know the drill: I don't own Pokemon or it's characters.

* * *

**Hybrids: Fifth Iteration**

**Strand 4: Affliction**

"So, have you heard the news?" One Rocket said to another as he carefully took his pants off. He folded them up neatly on the wooden bench. His voice echoed throughout the empty locker room.

"You mean about all that ruckus that was coming from B-5?" The second Rocket said, removing his own pants. The first man nodded before taking his Team Rocket sweatshirt off. "Well, I heard the rumors. They say some experiments got loose."

"Yeah. They're trying to keep it quiet though. I don't think word's gotten around anywhere above floor B-2."

"See? It's shit like this that makes me wish I hadn't given up my job as Pokemart cashier." The Rocket groaned and opened up his locker. "They always tell you about the glamorous life of crime and cool uniforms, but they leave out the part about fuckin' Magmar-people." He put his clothes in and pulled out his civilian clothes. "I am so glad my shift is up here. This place is really starting to give me the creeps."

"Tell me about it." The first man sighed, opening his locker as well. "And they gotta keep it all secret-like. So we don't even know what the hell's going on." He lowered his voice. "I heard some talk. Squad 4E hasn't been seen for two hours." His eyes darted around. "And you know how Squad 2C was killed in the elevator accident earlier tonight? I heard it wasn't no accident. It heard it was sabotage."

"No shit?" The second man asked, putting normal jeans back on. "That does it. I'm transferring to Hoenn first chance I get. I don't think I can take anymore of this. Ever since Giovanni started Project 66, things have been going downhill fast."

"I hear you." The other man sighed, closing his locker. "No amount of illegal goods is worth getting torn apart by something that un-human." The second Rocket nodded in assent, closing his own locker.

"Achoo!"

"Bless you." Both Rockets said to one another simultaneously. They stopped suddenly and stared at one another.

"I thought that was you." The first man said.

"I didn't sneeze." The other said shaking his head. "I thought it was you."

"Wasn't me." Both men whipped their heads around, but didn't see anyone else around. Slowly they turned to the row of steel lockers in front of them, then back to each other.

"Okay. I'm freaked out now." The second Rocket said. "I'm getting the hell out of here."

"Me too." The other man nodded and they hurried out of the locker room as quick as they could, slamming the door behind them. From inside one of the lockers between them, Amy exhaled sharply, the breath she had been holding finally free. She slumped down against the back of the locker wearily. That had been too close.

Her eyes darted back to the pinup poster of a naked brunette woman with a Dragonair coiled around her, strategically obscuring her more private regions, that was taped to the inside of the locker door. It didn't interest her, really, but it was all there was to look at inside the locker and she wasn't going to leave until her heartbeat returned to normal. The bottom of the poster said "Miss August: Natalie with Dragonair" in large letters with small letters reading "Next month: Carol with Tangela." Amy blushed and immediately banished any forming thoughts in her head, deciding she really didn't want to even think about that one.

She had been hiding in that locker for fifteen minutes trying to calm herself down enough so she could think clearly when she set out again when the two Rockets had come in to change. Now she had to calm down all over again.

Amy decided only to wait for a few minutes this time before she opened the door to the locker. She looked around wearily. There was no one in sight. She grabbed the backpack from the top shelf, slung in onto one shoulder and head out of the locker room. She pushed the door open just wide enough to peek out. Upon seeing the hallway empty, she tiptoed out of the room and down the hallway. She had managed to avoid being spotted by any Rockets since leaving the room with Voulger, but wasn't about to push her luck now. Ash and James were counting on her to get the supplies she had out safely.

_Ash._ Her heart plummeted into her stomach at the thought of the boy. Watching him go to the brink of insanity, then drop right of the edge had been a painful experience for her. Despite the crippling virus that was slowly eating away at him, Ash had represented a beacon of stability for her since they met. He had always managed to keep a fairly cool head, even when his animal side took a hold of him. Watching him lose it completely was like being in a boat in the middle of a horrible storm and watching the anchor chain snap in two.

_I hope he's all right._ Amy thought to herself. _I hope James managed to find him._ She pressed herself against the nearest wall and sidled along it until she reached the edge of the wall as the hallway turned a corner. She froze in place as she heard footsteps and soft voices approaching from around the bend. Hurriedly, Amy dashed back the way she came. She stopped by the doors to the locker rooms and quickly ducked into the women's changing room. She pressed her back against the door, hoping no one heard her running footsteps. She closed her eyes and tried to listen through the wooden door.

From across the locker room, she heard a small bang, followed by some grumbling. Her body went rigid. There was no way she could leave now; the people coming down the hall would have just turned the corner about now. But what if the person in the locker room saw her and called her out? She had to find somewhere to hide and she didn't know if she would be as lucky as she was in the men's locker room to find an open locker.

"Tony?" The voice grumbled. "No…Thomas? No." Amy opened one eye. The voice was definitely male and it sounded familiar. "Timothy? Dammit! No!" Another bang accompanied the final word. Amy slowly tiptoed closer to the sound of banging, trying to stay hidden. She peered around one set of lockers and her eyes widened. Ash was sitting on the floor, banging the back of his head against one of the lockers, groaning unhappily. _That was his voice! Does that mean he's back to normal?_

"A-Ash?" Amy asked uncertainly, stepping out from behind the row of lockers. Ash quickly jumped up to his feet, holding his fists in a defensive manner. His eyes were alight with fear and Amy didn't seem to see any recognition in them. "Ash?" She asked again, hoping he wouldn't freak out again.

Ash eyes scanned the body of the woman in front of him. _Butterfree wings…does that mean that this is her?_ "Are you…Amy?" Ash asked slowly, cocking his head to the side slightly.

"Ash!" Amy smiled a sigh of relief and bolted to her friend. Ash stepped back in surprise as Amy threw her arms around him. The fear never left his face. He guessed that this was probably Amy, but he couldn't be sure. "Oh God, it's so good to see that you're yourself again!" Ash grabbed hold of her shoulders and pushed her away from him. He held tight to her, holding the girl in place. Amy blinked in surprise, then looked up at him in confusion.

"Please answer me." Ash commanded weakly. "Are you Amy?"

"I…" Amy stuttered, wondering what was going on. "Ash, of course I'm Amy. Don't you remember me?" Her expression turned to shock as hurt filled the boy's eyes. It was as if her words stabbed through his heart.

"No." Ash said softly. "I'm sorry, but I don't." He let go of her shoulders and, with a huff, sat down on the cold floor, back pressed against the steel of the lockers. Amy stared at him in shock. He didn't look at her, but instead focused on his feet. "When I…when I lost control of myself, it jumbled my mind up to the point I couldn't recall anything. James managed to drag me out of it, but not without paying a price." He lifted a fist in the air. "It feels like half of my memories just vanished." He opened his hand to signify losing something. "Just gone. I can't remember anything that happened to me before I turned eight. And other random memories of mine disappeared into thin air. I remember your name, I remember you have wings, I even remember that we almost had sex." Ash lowered his hand slowly. "But I don't remember what you look like." He dragged his head up to meet her eyes. "You might as well be a stranger to me."

"Oh, Ash." Amy said softly. She sat down next to him. Ash's eyes went back to his shoes. "It's okay. You couldn't control yourself. It's all right."

"Your voice. It doesn't even sound a little bit familiar." Ash said glumly. "I could swear I've never met you before." Amy winced at what he said, but held strong. Of the two of them, he was the one who needed comfort the most.

"We'll get through this." Amy said. She slung the backpack off her shoulder and held it out to him. "I found what we need. Bill can stop your virus."

"He can?" Ash asked. Then his expression soured. He let out a defeated sigh. "What's the point? I'm already too far gone."

"Ash!" Amy exclaimed in surprise. "Don't talk like that!"

"I've lost everything." Ash shook his head. "I built up a dam in my mind to block the building pressure of my animal side; so I could stay sane and maintain who I am. But as the pressure grew, the dam weakened. When I found out about what Giovanni did with my friends…" Ash shut his eyes tight, "…the dam burst and everything just flooded my mind. Even though I've regained control of myself, everything's different now. I'm not myself anymore. I don't think I ever will be again. I just feel…tainted. It's not worth trying to bring me back to normalcy. I'm never going to be normal again."

"…" Amy couldn't think of what to say.

"I'm sorry to dump this on you, Amy, but you have to know where I'm coming from here. I feel like I'm on a hilltop looking down at my hometown, and it has been burned to the ground and everyone's dead. I know another town could be erected in its place, but it wouldn't be the same. It would never be what it used to be ever again. And so it is the same with my mind."

"Ash…you still have some of your memories, don't you?"

"Yes." Ash responded weakly. "Mostly painful. Not the kind I want."

"Isn't there at least one you want to keep?" She prodded. "One you never want to let go of?"

Ash turned away sharply, not wanting or maybe not able to let her look her in the face. _Red hair and blue eyes._ "…Yes."

"Isn't it worth fighting for that one memory?"

Ash didn't respond at first, choosing instead to stare at the far wall. Minutes went by with nothing but a tense silence. Eventually, he nodded his head in agreement. Amy let out the deep breath she was holding. She was afraid of what is reaction might be, but she was glad to see that she was getting through to him.

"So why are you hiding out in a locker room?" Amy asked. Ash didn't respond verbally, he merely lifted an arm and pointed to a corner of the room. Amy's gaze followed his and she gasped out loud. There were three sinks in front of a large mirror and each sink was coated in blood. There were crimson smears along the mirror as well. It was if someone had been murdered right there.

"I had to clean myself up." Ash said numbly.

"Is that…all yours?" She asked, feeling her own voice fade.

"No." Ash responded. "But I wish it was. God, I wish it was."

"Why?" Amy asked. Ash instantly tensed up and Amy bit her lip. She wished she could retract her question.

"Because then I might not be…not be…" He gulped and took a deep, ragged breath before continuing. "When I left my friends, I wrote them a note. I had referred to myself as a beast then, but I didn't really feel that way. I never felt like a monster…until today." He dropped his head into his hands. "Now, I am really a beast." His voice cracked at the final words.

"No, you're not!" Amy said, starting to get angry. "I don't know what you did, but it doesn't make you a monster!"

"Goddamn it, Amy!" Ash shouted back at her, finally looking her in the eyes again. They showed off his fury, but it was only a thin veil of anger over a much large pool of guilt. "It's not what I did! It's not even why I did it!" He was seething, and the guilt in his expression let her know he wasn't angry at her. He was angry at himself. "**I enjoyed it!**" His words were as broken as his mind and he started to shake uncontrollably. "I enjoyed every minute of it! Every limb I tore off, every piece of human flesh I consumed, every life I took! I reveled in every second and I only wanted to find more people to kill so I could keep feeling that ecstasy!" His angry look started to break in front of her. "Actions can be forgiven and even forgotten. Intent can't." He groaned and threw his head back, slamming it against the metal locker door. Amy cringed at the sound.

"It wasn't you." Amy said, echoing the words Ash had told her earlier that day at the lunch table. The words seemed to strike a cord with Ash and he looked back at her. His eyes were still filled with guilt, but there was something else there. Something she couldn't put her finger on. "It wasn't you."

"Thanks." Ash said eventually. "I needed that."

"I know." Amy gave him a slight smile. "You helped me before. I'm glad I could return the favor."

"Geez," Ash sighed. "Look at me, whining like a little schoolgirl. There are more important things we have to do." Ash stood up and brushed himself off. He pushed the emotions down inside of him, bottling them up. Amy wasn't able to completely crush his depression or self-doubt, but she made it easier for him to put all that aside. He could breakdown again later. Right now, he had to get his head back into the game. "We have to get you out of here so you can get back to Bill with those ingredients."

"Me? What about you?" Amy asked.

"I have to go back for James. He's acting as a distraction and I can't leave him behind." Ash shook his head.

"I want to help!" Amy said quickly.

"You can. By returning to Bill so he can save James and me from turning into…monsters…" He gritted his teeth, but swallowed the bile that had risen up in his throat. "I've been through it once and I'd rather not do it again."

"Fine." Amy said, crossing her arms. "But aren't you forgetting something?"

"What?"

"The kids. The ones in cell block E."

"Crap! You're right!" Ash smacked his forehead. "All right. Let's go grab those kids. You can get them out of here when you leave."

"Okay." Amy nodded. "But how do we get out of here? How did you get in here?"

"Over this way." Ash motioned to the girl to follow him. He led her around a corner to a series of lockers that looked to be placed there haphazardly. Ash went to one end and pushed them out of the way, revealing a small hole in the wall, just big enough for a crouching person to slip through.

"Where did that come from?" Amy asked.

"I made it." Ash said. "Seems I still had a little energy left from the last solarbeam attack I used."

"It can go right through steel like this?" Amy asked, then let out a low whistle.

"Yeah, but I'm drained and with the sun down, we can't rely on that anymore." Ash ducked down and walked through the hole. "Now let's go find those cell blocks and finish this."

o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o

Blood oozed out of James' mouth as his body crashed against the steel wall behind him. He painfully lifted his arm to wipe the red liquid off of his lips. It stained his shirt sleeve vermillion. He groaned and steadied himself on his feet. He stared straight across the large supply room. Voulger was walking toward him casually, holding a piece of lead piping like it was a baseball bat. Zach was hanging back against the far wall, smoking a cigarette nonchalantly and still wearing his pilot goggles.

"Well?" Voulger asked. "Do you give in yet, James?"

"Never." James hissed. "You'll have to kill me first, you metallic fuck."

"Fortunately, that's what I'm here to do." Voulger held out the pipe, gripping it in both hands. With a grunt and a muscle flex, he bent the lead object into a horseshoe shape. Then he held it out with his red arm, firing it at James. The man felt too weak to move in time and the pipe dug into the wall behind him, the u-shape ensnaring his neck snuggly and trapping him against the wall.

"You know I can just cut right through this, don't you?" James asked, his voice a little strained from the tight fit of the pipe pressing against his throat. Voulger laughed.

"Without cutting you own neck? I doubt it. But just to be sure…" He swished his red arm around and the steel binding of a wooden crate burst free, then flew through the air at James. The man tried to cut it, but he missed and the binding whirled around his body and arms, tying them down at his sides. James struggled against the bondage, but couldn't break free. Voulger walked up to James, just out of the man's reach. "And now I have you where I want you. Zach!" Voulger called out. Zach put out his cigarette on the wall then walked up to Voulger.

"What is it?" Zach asked.

"Zach, I have something very important to tell you." Voulger said, putting his hand on Zach's shoulder. Electricity flared up through the man's arm, sending high voltage coursing into Zach's body. The Growlithe hybrid shouted in furious pain and fell to his knees. Voulger continued to grip him hard, letting the electricity surge through Zach's convulsing body. James' eyes widened in disbelief.

"I saw you give in to James back in that hallway." Voulger hissed. "You weren't going to fight back at all." Zach only screamed in response. "I should have known you'd let your past friendship get in the way. I was an idiot for missing it, but not anymore." His grip got tighter. "Now, you are going to die like the dog you are."

James growled from his position on the wall. Grains of sand began to whirl around then bottom of his feet. With a yell, James created a sandstorm in the air around Voulger and Zach. In surprise, Voulger's grip loosened. Zach saw his chance. He turned his head to the side, still jittering from the electricity in his body. He opened his mouth and let out a burst of flame. Voulger shouted out, backing away as fast as possible. Zach slumped to the ground as the volts left his body. His shoulder was horribly burned and moving it seemed to drain him of his energy. Voulger left the swirling cloud of sand. His chest was no longer in perfect condition. It was slightly melted and uneven.

"You little bastard!" Voulger shouted. James let the sandstorm die.

"_You_ tried to kill _me_, and I'm the bastard?" Zach asked angrily.

"I'm not through with you!" Voulger clasped his hands together before holding them out in front of him. Electricity traveled down his arms and fired out like a cannon. The condensed ball of lightning barely missed as Zach dodged to one side. Zach opened his mouth and fired a fireball back at Voulger. Voulger ducked down and the flame flew overhead, setting some of the crates behind him on fire. Voulger swung his red arm around, lifting the flaming boxes by their metal bindings and flinging them at Zach. The younger man got to his feet and ran out of the way of the flaming barrage. The boxes shattered along the wall.

"I think I'm beginning to see why you went traitor, James." Zach said, eyes still focusing on Voulger.

"About time." James choked out.

"Come on. Do you really think you can stop me?" Voulger asked. He watched Zach move around the room. "Even with your fire attacks, you only have a fraction of my experience."

"We'll see about that." Zach growled, and then rushed at Voulger as fast as he could. The large man's eyebrows spiked upward as Zach seemed to split into two separate, if slightly faded, entities.

"Oh no!" Voulger exclaimed in mock fright. "Which Zach is the real one?"

"You better guess soon!" Both Zach's said in unison. They both moved to opposite sides of the big man and rushed at him, shoulders out. The left image disappeared as the real Zach clashed with him as hard as he could. Much to his disappointment, the large, metal man didn't so much as budge an inch. Zach felt his shoulder blade cracking from the hit. "No way…" Zach said softly.

Voulger let out a loud laugh and grabbed Zach by the neck, squeezing him hard. Zach opened his mouth to release more fire, but only smoke came out. "Hard to make fire when you can't get any air, isn't it?" He smiled, lifting the man off the ground. Zach clawed and scratched at him, but it barely marred the steel surface. "And did you really think that take down move was going to move me in the slightest?" He laughed again. "That's where the experience comes in." He flung his arm out and let go of the man, sending him flying across the room and into a corner, slamming him against the two walls. Zach crumpled up and started to wheeze and cough uncontrollably. "Now that this little facade is over, maybe you can die peacefully."

Zach looked back up at Voulger and narrowed his eyes. He crawled forward a bit before getting up on his knees. "This isn't over." He snarled and shot a fireball out from his mouth. Voulger deftly swerved to one side as the flaming projectile whizzed past him. He quickly held out his blue arm in Zach's direction. Zach heard something rustle behind him. He tried to turn around, but it was too late. A large steel spike flew forward and pierced right though his back and out the front of his sternum. Zach opened his mouth to scream, but any sounds he would have made were instantly drowned out in a hideous gargle of blood.

"Yes." Voulger said simply, lowering his hand. "It is."

"Zach!" James screamed as the man fell limp to the ground. The thick spike was at least two inches in diameter and would have easily hit many vital organs. Trails of crimson and pitch oozed out of the man's mouth as his eyes started to glaze over. James struggled against his bonds a little longer. "Son of a bitch!"

"V-Voulger…" Zach's lips moved slowly. "You p-piece of sh-sh-shit." He tried to push himself back up, but couldn't find the power to do it. His eyes looked back down at the front of the blood-spattered spike that was jutting out of his gut. He felt himself lifting into the air.

"Oh, what's wrong?" Voulger asked, holding his blue hand out and slowly pulling the steel spike toward him, with Zach still attached. "Did you realize that as long as this spike is in your body, you're not going to be able to heal properly?" He smiled darkly. "You're not going to be able to stop the bleeding if there's something there to hinder the muscle regrowth."

Zach moved his head slowly so he could glare at Voulger. "This still isn't over." He coughed, choking on his own blood. "I'm not going to be the only one to die here."

Voulger grinned at those words. "That, my dear Zach, is the most accurate sentence you've ever said." He dropped his blue hand and quickly thrusted his red arm out. The spike changed directions and flew out like a bullet. James' eyes widened as he felt the large spike drive through his stomach. He howled in pain and doubled over. He bit his lip until it bled and glanced up. Zach was dangling just a few feet in front of him, his eyes growing dim. Voulger lowered his hand. The spike was now imbedded into the wall with James and Zach skewered on it like a shish-ka-bob.

"Oh, it is a pleasure to be done with the both of you." Voulger smiled. "Now if you excuse me, I have a Butterfree and an Ivysaur to hunt down."

"NO!" James screamed and immediately regretted it. The resulting pain almost caused him to black out immediately. "…n-no…"

"I trust you two will die without me needing to be here." Voulger reached to his side and pulled out a pokeball. He held it out and a red beam shot out, forming into the body of Samuel.

"Raticate!" He shouted, then immediately crumpled to the ground in pain.

"Listen, Samuel. I know you're feeling weak, but I need you to watch these two. If for some reason they don't die, just start eating them."

"Rat!" The hairy man nodded slowly.

"Good boy." Voulger put the ball away and turned to leave the room. "Good bye, James. You put up one hell of a chase." Without another word, he turned and left the room. James tried to move but he was pinned to the wall so closely that he didn't have any leeway. Zach just groaned and held his hand out.

"Don't b-bother." He said. He coughed harshly, spitting blood onto James' face. "It's over."

"I am n-not going to d-die." James hissed. He felt blackness start to take him over. "N-not here."

"I'm s-sorry." Zach said. "For ev-everything." He dropped his head and his body went slack.

"Z-Zach?" James asked, but he got no response. "D-d-damn it Zach!" he furiously tried to recall if there was anything in the Team Rocket manual about this, but he found he couldn't remember ninety percent of it. "Shit! I…I f-feel so c-cold…" James growled. His muscles decided to give up on him and he fell as slack as the man in front of him, finally letting darkness claim him.

o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o

"So what were you trying to figure out back there?" Amy asked.

"Huh?" Ash looked back at her. They had been mostly silent since they left the locker room while Ash tried to figure out how to get to the jail cells. The sudden inquiry caught him off-guard.

"Back in the locker room you were spouting out a bunch of names. Timothy, Tony…all names that began with T." Ash's expression darkened and he turned away from her to look forward again.

"I have a…I had a friend who I traveled with through the Orange League. He always loved to draw things. We became close friends." Ash sighed. "I can't remember his name. I can see his face, well most of it, but his name escapes me. All I know is it starts with a T. At least I think it does. It could be Trey or Toby or-"

"Tracey?" Amy asked. Ash stopped and turned to look at her in confusion. "In the tape that Giovanni left for you he mentioned two people, May and Tracey."

"Oh." Ash said. "I guess that's it then." He closed his eyes. "I was hoping that in hearing the name, a light bulb would go on in my head and I would suddenly remember everything about him. But the name doesn't mean anything to me. Nothing." He groaned and cupped his face in his hands.

"Don't give up on me yet, Ash." Amy said hurriedly. "It was just a name."

"He was one of my closest friends." Ash sighed. He turned around and continued walking. "It's disturbing how that memory is just gone. Specific events and places in time I can understand. Someone I traveled with for several months and have regular contact with? That's a little more off the deep end. Besides, my friends mean everything to me. It's like a drill peck through the chest to just forget something about them."

Amy was silent for a few minutes before speaking up. Her face flushed furiously. "Is…is Misty one of your friends?"

Ash stopped in place again and turned around. "Huh?"

"Misty." Amy said, her cheeks still burning. "Do you have a friend named Misty?"

Ash racked his brain to see if he could remember ever mentioning Misty to Amy. He couldn't recall ever doing so, but what he remembered didn't really make much of a difference anymore. "Uh…yeah. Have I ever mentioned that name to you before?"

"Just once." Amy said and she felt he face get even hotter. "When we were…when we were…" She cleared her throat. "When we were about to make love…you moaned out her name."

Ash's eyes widened and he stepped back in surprise. He blushed as well, or as much as his skin pigment allowed. "I...did?" Amy nodded.

"That was right before you pushed me away. Right before you snapped out of that trance we were both in." She looked down and scuffed her shoe against the floor. "She means a lot to you?"

"Uh…" Ash bit his lip. "Yeah."

"Do you love her?"

"Well…"

"This isn't a hard question." Amy interrupted insistently. "If you really love her, I doubt that would be something you would have forgotten."

"I…I guess I…I mean…I might…" Ash stammered, and then exhaled sharply. "Yeah, I do, okay? I have feelings for her that surpass friendship. Happy now?" He growled unhappily. "Jeez…you're worse than Brock." His angry expression died upon remembering his injured friend. He immediately looked away and started walking again.

"She's the redhead that Giovanni mentioned, isn't she?" Amy continued, following him. "The one he has captured with your other friend?" Ash only grunted in response and she could tell by the sudden stomp in his step that this was true. "Well, you have to go save her!"

"What the hell makes you think I wasn't planning to?" Ash snarled back at her.

"I didn't say you weren't going to. But that is why you need to keep going. That's why you can't give up here." She smiled slyly. "I bet she's waiting for you to rescue her. With my help, you can…"

"You won't be coming with me." Ash stated. Amy balked in surprise and nearly tripped on her own feet.

"What?! Why?"  
"Because it's too dangerous, that's why."

"Don't you give me that!" Amy growled at him. "That's what James said about this mission and I have been helpful, haven't I?"

"This was different. When I go after my friends, there isn't going to be any sneaking in. No espionage. No catching the enemy off-guard. It's a trap laid out specifically for me. You shouldn't be dragged into that."

"Well, neither should you!" She exclaimed.

"I have to. You said so yourself."

"But..!"

"No. This is personal, and thusly, I have the final word. You won't be coming along. That's that."

"You're being a stubborn idiot, Ash!" She yelled at him. Ash stopped in place. Amy waited, but didn't get any response from him. "Did you hear me? I said you're a stubborn-"

"**Get down!**" Ash yelled, turning and jumping at her. She screamed as Ash tackled her to the ground. She barely managed to keep from crushing the bag on her shoulder. An explosion went off in front of them, filling the hallway with a thick white smoke. Amy coughed loudly, trying to push the invading gas out of her lungs.

"What the-" She started, but Ash clamped a hand over her mouth.

"Smoke bomb!" He hissed between his teeth. "Hold your breath!"

"All right! Let's get in there!" Came a voice from up ahead. Three Rockets came in from around the corner, wearing gas masks. They all held red stun rods, which sparked and sizzled.

"Amy! Blow back the gas at them!" Ash said to her.

"But the masks…"

"DO IT!" Ash yelled and Amy quickly got to her knees and started beating her wings. The movement caused the white smoke to blow back at the Rockets. Ash quickly held his hands out and began to fire razor leaves. The sharp green projectiles cut through the smog and hit the masks just right so it severed the tubes connecting the filter to the mouth piece. As the smoke hit them, the men began to choke and clutched at their throats until they fell to the ground, wheezing.

Twin vines burst free from Ash's back and flew at the two men at either end of the group. They wrapped around the necks of the two men then brought them together, with the third Rocket's head in between them. All three craniums collided with a sickening smack. The bodies of the grunts slumped over, dormant.

"Nice aim." Amy complemented him.

"I picked up on a few things while my Pokemon half was in control." Ash said. "We better get going. They must have known we were coming here and I don't like that at all. Hold your breath." He grabbed Amy's arm and pulled her through the smoke and around the corner. There were huge double doors with the words 'Detention Cells D-F' written on a plaque above them. Amy nodded and the duo pushed through the doors The hallway split into three ways; an arrow pointing to the left with a bright red 'D' on it, an arrow pointing to the right with an 'F', and an arrow straight ahead with an 'E'.

"Let's move." Ash said and ran straight ahead. The hallway opened up into a large room that had wall-to-wall cells. Every one was made out of glass and they were all empty except for one large cell that had five young children in it. They all turned expectantly to see Ash and Amy run into the room. Ash came to a screeching halt. A lone Rocket was waiting for them, a sub-machine gun in one hand and a blue rectangle in the other. Amy clutched her backpack tightly.

"Well, Voulger said I should be expecting you. Pretty ballsy of you, wasting your precious escape time to save a bunch of kids. Dumb, but ballsy." He pointed the automatic weapon at them. "Now, get back to the far wall."

Ash actually laughed out loud. He couldn't believe he did it, but he was nonetheless. "What in the world makes you think I'm the least bit afraid of you? One silly Rocket with a gun isn't anything I haven't faced before."

"I have this." The rocket lifted the card high in the air for them to see. His triumphant grin gleamed at them. Ash shrugged.

"So?" He asked.

"This is a key card. One you need to open these cell doors." Ash looked to the side and saw an advanced piece of machinery up against the side of the door. "See the glass to each cell? That's reinforced bullet-proof, fireproof, Pokemon-proof glass. Nothing can break it, not even the explosion of a Golem!" The Rocket grinned. "You want these kids, you need this card."

"And why shouldn't I just kill you know and grab the key?" Ash asked, getting bored.

"Because as useful as this card is, it's very easy to snap." He slid his thumb under the card. "If I see you make just one sneaky move, I'm breaking it in half. Then you can't use it at all! Sure, there maybe one or two others somewhere in this factory, but can you really take the time to look for them?" He chortled maniacally. "So here's what we're going to do, you back up against the wall and we'll wait for Voulger to arrive. He wanted to deal with you individually."

"Look, man. I'm getting sick of this. Give me the card, and I won't kill you, okay?"

"You are in no position to be giving orders!" The rocket yelled, waving his machine gun around. "I'm in control here! I have the power! I have the gun! I have-" His voice died out as a ghostly arm appeared out of his chest. His face went white and his mouth dropped open as he stared down at the transparent appendage reaching through his body. The hand reached out, grabbed the key card from the man's weak fingers and tossed it at Ash. Smiling, Ash reached out and grabbed the card as it flew at him.

The Rocket, coming to his senses, quickly jumped forward in a hurry, letting out a high-pitched scream. He turned around quickly. Seth was standing on a chair behind him. He smiled and waved. The guard screamed and pointed his machine gun out, firing at the boy. Seth closed his eyes and covered his ears with his hands. The bullets passed through his body as if it wasn't even there. The gun continued to unload its ammo until it ran out. It took several clicks to register in the man's brain that his gun was now useless before he slowly turned around. Ash was grinning while showing the blue rectangle off with one hand and holding the other one out, palm up.

"You _don't_ have the card." He said, and then fired out a torrent of razor leaves. The man yelped and tried to run, but the leaves were too quick. One caught him in each shoulder and one in each leg. He fell to the ground, and writhed around in pain, unable to support himself with any of his limbs. Ash gave Amy the key card, and then walked up to the fallen Rocket. He knelt down next to the squirming man. "Now you just stay in time-out and think about what you did."

"Please don't kill me!" He whined. "**Please!**"

"Nah, I won't." Ash said. The man exhaled sharply in relief. "But not because you don't deserve it for holding these kids hostage. Only because I've killed too many people already today." He grinned maliciously. "Besides, I'm sure Voulger will do the honor for me when he finds out you failed. Assuming he's even still alive. If not, Giovanni will be able to fill that void, right?" The man began to cry like a baby. Ash sighed and stood up.

Amy walked over to the cell with the kids and swiped the key card through the machine. The red light on the top turned to green and there was a distinct depressurizing sound. Amy hit a button that looked like the open door button on the elevator they were in earlier. The door slid open and the kids ran out quickly. They seemed to still be slightly scared of Amy and her Butterfree wings, but ran up to her anyway. They stayed close by, as if she was their mom.

"I'm glad you guys came." Seth said to Ash. Ash averted his eyes from Amy and smiled at the boy.

"What? Didn't think I'd show up?" Ash asked. "A promise is a promise after all."

"Thank you." Seth put his hands together.

"Say, do you know a fast way out of here?" Ash inquired. Seth nodded.

"There's a room in Cell Block D that connects to the sewers. We can get out the same way you came in."

"Excellent." Ash said. "Amy! Bring the kids over here." Amy nodded and ushered her group over to Ash and Seth. They seemed even more apprehensive about approaching Ash, but saw Seth and decided it was all right to join them. "Amy, Seth knows a way out of here via the sewers."

"Oh, good." Amy sighed. "The sewers again."

"So just follow him and get the kids out of here, okay?" Ash asked. Amy looked up at him with confusion in her eyes.

"What do you mean? What about you?"

"I have to go find James, remember?" Ash explained. "I can't just leave him here. He'll get himself killed."

"Yeah, about that. I changed my mind. I want to help you find James!" She exclaimed.

"Yeah, I know. But you _need_ to get these kids out of here, then you _need_ to go bring that backpack to Bill. You can wait for me there."

"Is this because I'm a girl?" Amy hissed angrily. "You're being as stubborn as you were before! I can handle danger as well as you, Ash! I'm not some fragile porcelain doll that will-"

"**I know!**" Ash yelled at her. Amy was taken aback slightly, her anger vanishing. "I know, okay! It's not that I don't believe in you. I'd trust you with my life! Which is what I'm doing right now!" He pointed at the backpack. "If Bill doesn't get that pack, I'm good as gone! You know how close I am to the brink right now! I need you to do this for me and James both!"

"But…" Amy started, and then let her voice die down. As much as she hated to admit it, he was right. She sighed heavily and stared at the ground. "Just be careful, okay?"

"I will." Ash promised her. "Now get going. Seth, lead the way."

"Right away." Seth nodded. He turned to Amy and the kids. "Follow me." Amy nodded glumly and followed after Seth. Ash followed behind all of them, giving the downed Rocket one last kick in the side before he left. When they returned to the three-way branch in the hallway, Ash pointed to the hallway on the right that led to cell block D.

"Okay. You guys go on ahead. I'll catch up later." He said. Amy looked up at him gloomily, but acknowledged his order. Ash put a hand on her shoulder. "I'll be fine."

"I know." She said softly. They stared at each other for a few more moments before she turned around and motioned for Seth to lead the way out. She looked over her shoulder just once before she disappeared with other kids. Ash waited until they were out of sight before running back the way they came. He didn't know where James was, but he was going to find out. He pushed open the double doors and was immediately hit in the chest by a condensed ball of lightning.

With a shout of pain, Ash flew backwards and collided with the ground. The powerful current continuing to charge through his body, sending small sparks shooting from his extremities. Voulger smiled from his position just outside the double doors, his hands still clenched together. "Surprised, Ketchum?" He asked with a laugh. He held his red hand out. The doors blew off their hinges and flew over Ash's head, landing several yards behind him. "The look on your face was quite priceless."

"That was a cheap shot." Ash groaned, sitting up. Every move sent volts of electricity surging throughout his body and caused him to seize up. "A really cheap shot."

"There no such thing as fighting fair." Voulger said. "That's just a concept made up by those who aren't smart enough to fight with strategy."

"Then this should be right up your alley!" Ash said, thrusting his palm out. Nothing happened for several seconds and a shocked look crossed Ash's face. He couldn't get the razor leaves to travel up his arm. "What the hell?"

"It seems the shock I gave you has caused a few of your muscles to constrict and stop working." Voulger said smugly, a knowing grin on his face. "I don't suggest trying to stand up, either."

"A really, really cheap shot." Ash growled. He tried to stay motionless, hoping that would help him regain control of his body functions quicker. His eyes never left Voulger's.

"I have some more bad news for you." Voulger smiled. He held his blue arm out to the side. One of the oxygen tanks from the unconscious rockets with the gas masks flew through the air and into Voulger's hand. "If you didn't like that, you certainly won't like what's going to come next." He held it up in the air in both hands menacingly.

In a painful burst of energy, Ash dropped his arm to his side and grabbed the sixth Pokeball on his belt. He quickly detached it and tossed it out. The ball hit the ground in front of him and popped open, freeing the Pokemon inside. "Vulpix! I choose you!"

"Pix!" The fox-like Pokemon chirped happily, glad to be free of his restraints. Its demeanor changed as it saw Voulger's angry face. "Vulpix?"

"Vulpix! Use Ember on the oxygen tank!" Ash shouted.

"Vulpix!" The Pokemon yelled back and shot a ball of fire at the tank in Voulger's hands. The man growled in realization and tossed the tank in the air. The ember struck the canister and it exploded above Voulger's body. The large Rocket tried to duck down in time, but the explosion still caught him and sent him flying backwards. The heat from the explosion hit Ash as well, causing him to double over in pain. His natural weakness to all things fire caused his body to react wildly and he scuttled back as far as he could, each move causing him intense pain. Vulpix loyally followed him, using its nose to push it's Pokeball with him.

When the smoke cleared, Ash noticed Voulger sitting against the wall. His face and shoulders were blackened and burned and his hands were both blown off completely. There was no blood from the stumps, just chipped metal like he was a broken statue. Voulger's eyes narrowed as he stared at Ash angrily.

"You little shit." He growled angrily. His voice was shaky, the only sign of weakness Ash had ever seen the man exhibit. He got to his feet slowly, baring his teeth. "I was going to just kill you, but now I want you to suffer."

"How very Klaus-like of you." Ash said, struggling to his feet. The remaining electricity in his body was miniscule enough that he could ignore it. He picked up the Pokeball on the floor. "You want to complete the package and get a household appliance dropped on you?"

"I am going to enjoy removing that flippant tongue of yours, punk."

"With what?" Ash asked with a laugh. "Your stubs?"

"Insolent bug!" Voulger yelled. "STOP LAUGHING AT ME!" He held his blue arm out, pointing the stub at Ash. The boy heard some movement behind him and he turned around in time to see the double doors lift up and come flying at him.

"Whoa!" Ash yelled and twin vines burst free from his back. The extended to the ceiling above and wrapped around some pipes running along the side. It lifted him off the ground and pressed him flat against the ceiling, allowing the doors to barely pass by. Vulpix wasn't that lucky and the door caught it straight on, sending it flying toward Voulger with a screech.

"Vulpix!" Ash quickly held out the Pokeball and recalled his Pokemon before it could get anywhere near Voulger. For his part, the Rocket let his arm drop, stopping the doors from reaching him completely. Ash's vines let go of the pipes and allowed him to drop to the ground.

"I don't suggest bringing anymore Pokemon into this fight." Voulger said. "I know your grass moves are useless against me, but I will kill them, make no mistake about that."

"Well, I won't need them once James arrives." Ash smiled. "He has an impeccable sense of timing and he can kick your electrical ass." Ash's smiled slowly faded as Voulger started to chuckle.

"James won't be coming to your aid this time, brat." He said. "He's dead."

"What?!" Ash asked, taken aback. "You're lying!"

"I assure you I'm not." Voulger said. "Last I checked, he was bleeding profusely from the gaping wound caused by a steel spike driven through his stomach. He could barely maintain steady breathing."

"You didn't see him die then." Ash said definitively. He wished he could detect any traces of this being a lie on the man's lips, but he found no such evidence.

"Trust me kid, it wasn't necessary. He was choking on his own blood as it filled his throat and mouth. Even if he didn't die immediately after I left, then he's dead by now."

"That's not true!" Ash yelled back angrily. "_Shut up_!"

"You're all alone, kid." Voulger said. "If you weren't scared before, now is a perfect time to start."

"Bastard!" Ash screamed and rushed the metal man, arms flailing. Voulger smiled and brought his arms around to block the first punch. There was a crunching sound as Ash's knuckles shattered against the steel. Ash's eyes widened in pain. _Idiot! You did the same thing with Klaus! You're letting your anger get the best of you again!_ He almost thought he could hear James' voice in his head. _Get a hold of yourself._

Ash leapt back as Voulger made a swipe with his forearms. He alternated his swings with kicks to try and catch the boy off guard, but Ash managed to stay a step ahead of him, dodging and jumping the various attacks. A swing to the left; Ash ducked to the side. A kick from the right; Ash hopped up and over the low sweep. A kick straight up at him; Ash jumped backwards.

"Quit moving and fight me!" Voulger growled.

"Fuck that!" Ash responded. "I've got a better idea. How about you quit fighting and-" He was cut off as Voulger lowered a shoulder and charged at him. Ash tried to weave out of the way, but the shoulder caught his own and sent him spiraling to the side. Voulger pivoted in Ash's direction and swung his leg around with a roundhouse kick. It caught Ash's side and sent him to the floor with a loud thud. Voulger took advantage of the moment and put his foot down on Ash's chest hard. Ash heard a rib or two crack and he screamed in pain. Voulger's leg started to spark and jolts of electricity surged into the fallen boy's body. Ash's screams rose an octave and became strangled. Blood started to erupt from his open mouth like a geyser.

"Ever wondered what it would feel like for your insides burn up while you were still alive? What it would be like for all your organs to slowly char to ashes while you try and rely on them for life? How excruciating the pain would be?" Voulger pressed his boot down harder and sent more shocks into the boy's chest. Tears flowed freely from Ash's eyes, mixing with the pool of blood forming around his head. His screams continued unabated. "By the time I'm only halfway done with you, you will be begging me to kill you as quickly as I did James."

"One slight problem with that." Voulger turned his head quickly to try and discern where the voice had come from. His eyes widened as he was faced with a vicious fireball coming straight at him. He lifted his foot off of Ash, but he couldn't move in time. The ball of fire hit his side, eliciting a horrified yell from him. Voulger stumbled backwards until he fell onto his back, unable to regain his balance with his uneven arms. His side remolded as it cooled down.

Ash rolled over onto his stomach so he wouldn't drown in his own blood. The red liquid continued to ooze down his throat and drip out his mouth onto the cold metal floor beneath him. He lifted his eyes to the hallway. Two men were standing there, barely managing to support one another. One had bright orange hair and had Growlithe-like features; Ash assumed this was Zach. The other was, much to Ash's relief, James. Both men were shirtless and their stomachs were badly burned. James's left hand was wrapped up in his some kind of fuzzy bandaging.

"James!" Ash yelled, although the words were garbled from the blood. James looked over at him. He had a disappointed look, but Ash could see a hint of a smile on his face.

"I can't leave you alone for one minute, can I?" James sighed. "Didn't I tell you to forget the fucking kids?"

"It's good to see you too." Ash said. "I thought you were dead!"

"You should be." Voulger hissed, getting to his feet. "How in the hell are you two still alive?"

"I decided not to give up." Zach growled at Voulger. "I used what little flame I could muster up to melt the thin wiring around James' left hand. He was able to free himself and used an earthquake to shatter the metal pole into shards, many of which are still inside of us."

"But the wounds!" Voulger started to say,

"Funny thing about fire." Zach smiled a little bit. "Cauterization is a wonderful technique. Hurt like a bitch, but at least we're able to stand."

"That's not possible!" Voulger snarled. "What about…what about…" His voice died down and his eyes narrowed as he stared at James' hand. "What's your hand wrapped in?"

James lifted his left arm into air to show off the brown, fuzzy wrapping. "Raticate skin." He said simply. Voulger snorted angrily and snapped at them.

"Regardless, you two can barely stand on your own. I will have to finish the job right now." He held his blue stub out and slowly moved it around the room. Several pieces of scattered metals flew through the air, bonding to the end of the arm, creating a condensed ball of steel where his hand used to be.

"Look, Voulger, this is three against one." Ash slowly got to his feet, using his shirt sleeve to wipe the blood off his face, especially around his mouth. "Just give it up already."

"No, I don't think I'll be doing that." He said and rushed the limping duo. Zach opened his mouth, but only smoke billowed out, following a pained grunt. Ash quickly sent his vines out to wrap around the man's torso and try and hold him back. It was like trying to stop a speeding Rapidash and Ash felt himself getting dragged behind him. It slowed him down just enough for James to pull Zach aside and get away from the charging Voulger.

"I'm too weak to create any fire right now without tearing up my insides." Zach said wearily. "At least any more than a matchstick's worth." He looked over at Voulger, who was swinging his ball of metal around at Ash, who was barely managing to dodge the attacks. "Listen. You two need to get out of here. I'll take care of Voulger."

"What?" James asked. "You can hardly stand on your own! How do you plan on taking that metal monster on?"

"I have an idea." Zach told him. His defeatist tone gave James an inkling of what the plan might be.

"All three of us could get out, you know."

"James, I'm not as lucky as you. That spiked pole hit several of my more important organs. I'm not going to last much longer. Just let me take care of Voulger and be done with it."

"I don't think that-" James started, but was interrupted as Ash barreled past him and into the wall behind them with a loud clang. He slumped to the ground, clutching his chest.

"Ow…" He groaned, closing his eyes. "That was a lot of metal right there." He struggled to his feet. "Uh, guys?" Ash asked the two men. "Voulger's coming at us."

"You can do razor leaves, right?" Zach asked Ash rhetorically. "Unleash a barrage of them at him."

"They'll bounce right off!" Ash exclaimed.

"Just do it!" Zach exclaimed. Ash held his hands out at the charging Rocket. Slits ripped open in his wrists and razor leaves began to shoot out his arms. Zach took a deep breath and exhaled a small, but steady flame. The leaves passed through the miniature flamethrower and ignited, enough to set them aflame, but not enough to outright burn them. The flaming leaves struck Voulger dead on as he tried to come to a screeching halt. Each hit seemed to weaken him and he stumbled backwards from each strike.

"It's working!" Ash exclaimed.

"But it won't forever." Zach said, cutting off the flame. He would have crumpled to the ground had James not been there to help him stay upright. He looked off down the hallway wearily. "There's a service elevator down this way. Let's go."

"We're running away?" Ash asked incredulously. "C'mon! We can take him!"

"There will be more guards soon." Zach said. "We have to take our chances while we have them. Now let's go!" James nodded and hurried as fast as he could with Zach holding on to him, limping along. Ash followed behind them, glancing over his shoulder to see an angry Voulger getting his second wind and charging after them.

"How far away is that elevator?" Ash asked. "Voulger's going to catch up with us soon!"

"It should be coming up soon!" Zach said. "I think I can see it."

"We don't have time to wait for the elevator." James hissed. He pointed to a door near the elevators. "We're taking the stairs."

"I can't hobble down the stairs fast enough." Zach said.

"Fine! Ash, grab his ankles!" James shouted. Ash nodded and bent over to grab Zach's feet. James got a better handle on Zach's wrists and the duo was suddenly carrying the third hybrid. James flung the door to the stairs open and hurried inside. "Up or down?"

"Down." Zach said. They started to rush down the stairs. "I'm getting off at B-6. You two go on to B-7. That should take you to the sewers. It's pretty much a straight shot to the nearest ladder out."

"What's in B-6?" Ash asked.

"The means to stop Voulger dead in his tracks." Zach explained. "I'll take care of him, you guys get out of here."

"Why are you helping us?" Ash asked. He heard the door to B-5 above them get torn of it's hinges and realized the Voulger must be on his way. "Last I heard, you were on Team Rocket's side."

"I don't take kindly to being stabbed in the back." Zach said. "Besides, James saved my ass back in the day, and this is my way of making us square before I go."

Ash shot James a look. "You know this guy?"

"Long story." James said simply. He came to a halt. "We're at B-6."

"Excellent. Put me down." Ash slowly lowered Zach's feet to the ground. "Okay. James, cut my hand."

"What?"

"Just do it!" Zach exclaimed. "We're running out of time!" James sighed and moved his claws against the palm of Zach's hand.

"Perfect." Zach said as blood started to bubble up onto his hand from the cut. "Now get going you two. And I mean fast."

"Thanks, Zach." James said.

"My pleasure." Zach shrugged. "I won't be seeing you."

"No." James said back. "I suppose you won't." With that, James turned and hurried down the last flight of stairs and Ash followed afterward, trying to mask the sound of his footsteps. Zach quickly opened up the door to B-6 and ducked inside.

Voulger heard the door slam and rushed the final length of stairwell to get there. He grinned when he noticed the bloody handprint on the door handle. This is the way they went, all right. He held out his red stump and the door burst off its hinges, flying into the room. The hallway was barely lit up with just a few hanging light bulbs to illuminate the way. Voulger noticed the door at the end of the hall had been left wide open. He ran into the darkened room as fast as he could.

The room was filled with aisled metal shelves, although it was too dark to see what was on them. He slowly made his way through the room, nimbly stepping around each aisle until he looked down one row and saw a faint glimmer of light. Zach was sitting on the floor, back against the shelf, calmly smoking a cigarette.

"Well, well, well." Voulger walked out from his hiding spot and strolled toward the Growlithe hybrid. "There you are." Voulger shook his head. "Look at you, you have such a sad, defeated look on your face. Like a puppy that did something wrong." He gave a malicious laugh. "If you had a tail, I bet it would be between your legs right now."

"Yeah, you caught me." Zach admitted. "I've run out of steam. I had just enough energy for one last smoke, you know?"

"Tell me where the brats are and I will kill you quickly."

"They're long gone, chief." Zach said, closing his eyes and taking another drag on the cigarette. "You missed them."

"I doubt that highly. If you don't tell me willingly, I will torture it out of you."

"Oh really?" Zach raised an eyebrow. "You think you're going to get that chance?"

"What do you mean by…?" Voulger's voice died out as Zach pulled the burning cigarette out of his mouth and held it out at the shelf behind him. The small glow managed to illuminated a barrel with some smudged letters on them. The look of the barrel was unmistakable, however. In shock and horror, Voulger surged some electricity through his body and created a flash large enough to illuminate the entire room. The shelves were all stockpiled with explosives and barrels of gunpowder. Voulger's wide eyes focused back on Zach. Zach was smiling a sad, yet victorious, smile. "You…you…"

"If I had a tail," Zach said softly, "I would be wagging it right now." Voulger quickly turned and tried to run back the way he came. He made it two steps before Zach exhaled one last small ball of fire at the shelf in front of him. Voulger made it one more step before the ball of fire made contact with a large container of gunpowder.

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From the safety of a grassy knoll back inside the city limits of Topaz Town, Ash and James watched as a massive underground explosion rocked the entire factory. The entire left half of the facility immediately began to crumble to the ground, the loss to its structural stability too great to ignore. The rapidly deteriorating left half of the building took a strain on the right side and soon whatever was left of the building came tumbling down as well, leaving just a pile of rubble where a giant mill once stood.

"I guess that's our cue to slink away into the night." James said.

"Oh my god." Ash said softly, still watching as people began to run down the streets to see what just happened. "All those people in there…"

"Are most likely dead. Yeah, I know."

"Not just the Rockets, either. There might have been night shift workers in there." Ash furrowed his brow. "This is horrible."

"What was horrible is what Team Rocket was doing at that factory." James said. "I say good riddance."

"Did you know he was going to do this?" Ash asked James accusingly.

"Not a clue." James shook his head. "But I don't feel sorry. And neither should you. Now come on. We need to leave before the police arrive on the scene and start staking out the area." He turned and began to limp down the hill.

Ash took one look back at the ruins of the destroyed mill, then turned and followed James back to the library.

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"So, she's really gone." Ash said dumbly, his mind to racked with questions to make a proper response. His eyes darted around the small room for some clue that she could be returning, but he found none. All of Amy's stuff was gone.

"Yeah." Bill spoke up from behind him. "She came back an hour or so ago with that ghostly kid you had mentioned. She gave me the backpack, told me you'd be right along, then went to her room. I came here to talk to her a half hour later, and the room was empty. The ghost kid was gone too."

"Was she acting weird?" Ash asked worriedly.

"No, not really. She seemed a little concerned that you were still out there, but other than that she seemed okay." Bill shook his head. "I never even heard her go."

"This was too much for her." James said simply. "She decided to run away. Makes sense to me." It didn't make sense to Ash, though. _That's not why she left. She was more than ready for what we were doing. She left because I told her that she wasn't coming with me._

"But I still got those ingredients and I'm in the middle of putting together that virus reproduction neutralizer." Bill gave them a smile. "By this time tomorrow, it should be ready."

"Excellent." Ash breathed a sigh of relief. "You have no idea how bad I need this now, Bill. I don't think I'll be able to take it if I lost anymore memories."

"Well, hopefully this will work and you won't regress any further." Bill said happily. "But I need to go back to work if we want it to be done in time." He turned and walked out of the room. "I could use some help if you two are up for it." He said as he retreated to his make-shift lab. "But take a bath first. You smell like a dead Vileplume." Once Bill was out of sight, Ash let out a low sigh.

"So Amy's gone, Seth's gone, and Zach's gone. I guess it's just you and me again." Ash said. "Now what?"

"Now we wait." James said, crossing his arms. "We wait for six days."

"James, that's my business. It's obviously a trap and you don't need to get involved in that."

"Oh, fuck you." James spat as the boy. "Trying to be all noble now? I have just as much reason to go there as you. Remember why we decided to work together? To strike back at Team Rocket. I'm not going to turn away from any opportunity to do just that."

"We don't even know where in Emerald Village Giovanni's going to be."

"There's only one Team Rocket hideaway in Emerald Village." James said. "A mansion that is officially owned by the mayor of Violet Islands."

"Hold on! The mayor is in with Team Rocket?"

"Not really, but he does deal with them regularly. Protection rackets and the like. He's lent this kind of vacation home out to Giovanni for use when he's not there. And sometimes when he is."

"What a scumbag." Ash growled, and then his face lit up. "Wait! If we know where he's going to be, why don't we just go there now and rescue Misty and Brock? Why wait six extra days so we can walk into a trap?"

"Because we don't even know if your friends will be there." James explained. "He could wait until the day before to bring them there. If we jump the gun and find out they're not there, what do you think Giovanni will do to your friends to teach you a lesson." Ash visibly shuddered, not wanting to picture it. "I know you're worried about them, but Giovanni wants your cooperation. He won't harm them if he thinks you're going to comply with his wishes."

"I guess you're right." Ash sighed. "I don't like waiting though."

"Well, then let's go help Bill. Besides, this six day buffer can work toward our advantage. We'll have plenty of time to plan this out so we don't die the minute we get there."

"Yeah." Ash said, scuffing the bottom of his shoes on the floor. "Thanks for your help, James. I know you don't like to go out of your way to help others, but the fact you'll do this for my friends…"

"I'm not doing this for your friends." James spoke up, looking Ash right in the eyes. "I'm going along with this because your little rescue attempt is going to be the perfect distraction."

"Distraction?" Ash asked, arching one eyebrow. "Distraction for what?"

"For me." James said.

"Why? What are you going to do?" Ash asked. James expression darkened and his voice lowered. He had the look of death in his eyes.

"I'm going to kill Giovanni."

**End of Fifth Iteration**

* * *

**Outro:** Woo! Iteration number five draws to a close. Wow, that took longer than I thought. Four Strands long with 126 total pages worth of writing. But I regret nothing! I do like how it turned out overall. A few patchy spots, especially at the climax of this chapter once James and Zach return. But I'm pleased with it as a whole and hopefully ending this part of the storyline will send my writer's block back where it came from.

Iteration six is going to be a fun one and I'm looking forward to how it's going to play out. I've been waiting to write this one since the third Iteration and I'm glad I finally get a chance to put it into writing. Thanks for reading this overly long chapter and I hope it was exciting enough to keep you from getting too bored from the length.

Now, once again, your list of moves:

Ash's Move List - Vine Whip, Razor Leaf, Leech Seed, Solarbeam

James' Move List - Slash, Swift, Earthquake, Sandstorm

Amy's Move List - Sleep Powder, Whirlwind, Confusion

Voulger's Move List - Thundershock, Electrolevitate, Zap Cannon, Flash

Zach's Move List - Ember, Flamethrower, Double Team, Take Down

Please leave a review as I love to hear from you guys, especially the regulars who always give me words of encouragement. Thanks everyone! Work on Iteration Six begins shortly and things are sure to start off with a bang! Speaking of which, does anyone else notice the disturbing trend that three of the five Iterations end with some kind of major explosion? I think I have some destructive pyromaniac urges .

Until next time,

- T.E.

P.S. I think I need to play less Metal Gear Solid games; they're seeping into my writing. Hiding in lockers with pin-ups of scantily-clad girls, using keycards to get in locked doors, etc. I mean, jeez. You're lucky I didn't make Ash sneak around in cardboard box.


	15. Extrication

**Intro:** Welcome back everyone! I'm back with the next chapter of Hybrids: Outbreak! This makrs the start of Iteration Six. I really enjoyed writing this one and I hope you like reading it! It's another long one, but I think it moves pretty quickly. So go ahead and get started; I won't hold you back any longer. Now, just remember: I don't own Pokemon or it's characters.

* * *

**Hybrids: Sixth Iteration**

**Strand 1: Extrication**

The sun was just beginning to set over the blue ocean, igniting the sky in brilliant hues of reds and oranges. A pair of mating Yanmas flittered about the air erratically, trying to catch one another. Their teasing dance continued for several minutes before finally settling into a suitable rhythm. They continued their mating dance as dusk slowly overtook the day.

Watching from the circular window of a large white mansion, Giovanni slowly puffed on a cigar. It would be dark soon, and that meant things would begin to get interesting. The day had been slow and boring, but he hadn't expected otherwise. Nighttime was when he believed things were going to happen. And night was almost here.

There was a sudden rapping on the door. Giovanni whirled around in his chair to face the door. "Enter." He said gruffly. The door swung open and Cassandra waltzed into the room, stepping lightly on the ground as she moved. She bowed lightly in front of Giovanni, letting out a slight giggle.

"It's six o' clock, sir." She said. "The day is almost done. Are you sure that…"

"Don't worry." Giovanni said, a smug smile tugging at the ends of his lips. "It's going to happen. I have no doubts."

"As you say, sir." Cassandra straightened and gave Giovanni a wink. "Would you care to visit the prisoners anyway? I think the boy would be especially mortified if we cut off one of the redhead's breasts."

"Your depravity continues to amaze me, Captain Rosary." Giovanni smiled at her. "However, we shall wait. The trick to keeping someone in the palm of your hand is moderation. Fear and rewards equally. Fail to instill fear and you will never get respect. Never show any rewards and they will see no reason to obey you. Maintain a strong balance and you can control anybody."

"Besides, cutting off such a beautiful body part would be sacrilegious." A voice from the doorway said. Both Giovanni and Cassandra turned their heads to see who it was. Voulger stood there, his metal skin gleaming in the last remaining rays of light that shot in from the window. He saluted sharply. "Captain Heimell, reporting for duty, sir."

Cassandra's eyes narrowed and she growled angrily. "Poor taste." She said. "Very poor taste."

"Oh, now don't be like that." Voulger said. His metal skin dissolved into a pink goop before reforming into the body of Clayton. He held his hands out and grinned maliciously. "You're just upset your little fuck toy got himself blow up last week."

"Voulger was a great leader." Cassandra said, annoyance in her eyes. "You are just a despicable waste of genetics."

"You flatter me." Clayton's smile dissipated. "But you had better only be joking about marring that girl too badly. I'm still getting her when you're done, right Boss?"

"You will have her soon enough." Giovanni nodded. "Her will to live might be crushed by the time this is done though, so she might not be as fresh as you like them."

"I can work around that." Clayton grinned. "I've gotten screams and shrieks from even the most despondent whores. I can always get them to squirm." He licked his lips subconsciously. "Just don't cut off any of her fun parts. I will want those intact."

"Of course you will." Giovanni put out his cigar on the nearest wall. "Have you checked in on our hostages recently?"

"Just under an hour ago." Clayton said. "They're still chained up in the ballroom. You were right about the girl. I had to practically force the food down her throat. She was too depressed to eat. Cyclops wasn't being very easy either. I'll be glad when we don't have to babysit them anymore."

"Grow up." Cassandra hissed. "This is an important mission for all of Team Rocket. You should be honored to be a part of it."

"Spare me your sensibilities, you stuck-up bitch." Clayton snorted. "I've been a part of this organization twice as long as you have!"

"You don't act like it. You don't even show half of the devotion to Team Rocket that I do!"

"I have to agree with you there. Since you've personally serviced almost every single member." Cassandra glared at him and Clayton just smiled back.

"You're just jealous that you're the one man I would never give myself to." Clayton's smile died down. "In fact, I doubt you'd even be able to rise to the occasion. I've heard from several sources that the genetic change to a Ditto has given you some serious problems with your performance."

"Is that so, you fucking bitch?" Clayton growled, taking a step forward. "You want to test that theory? I'll give it you better than your father did, you vindictive cunt!"

"_Ahem_." Giovanni coughed the word out, catching the two arguing hybrids off-guard. They turned to look at him sheepishly. "Are you two quite done now?"

"Yes, sir." They said in unison, bowing their heads. "Our apologies, Boss." Cassandra shot Clayton a look out of the corner of her eye that told him, she wasn't done yet. Clayton just gave her an unpleasant smile back.

"Good. I'd hate to think I was interrupting such an important conversation." Giovanni stood up and walked past them to the door. Clayton and Cassandra followed behind him loyally still embarrassed. He led the duo down the hall to a large bedroom that was mostly empty. _It must be a guest bedroom when the mayor lives here._ Cassandra thought. The only other person in the room was Captain Avarice, who was sitting cross-legged on the bed, meditating with his eyes closed.

"Captain Avarice will be taking over for Voulger as the leader of your group." Giovanni said. "We have one other replacement right now, although he's being held in the basement right now."

"Oh no." Clayton groaned. "Not him. He's absolutely insane. You have to keep the damn freak chained up down there."

"He may not be all there, but he is unbelievably powerful." Giovanni grinned. "And we just need to unleash him in the right direction."

"Well, I approve of your decisions, Boss." Cassandra said, smiling seductively. "You always know best."

"Suck up." Clayton hissed under his breath. Cassandra was about to turn and yell at him when Avarice's eyes shot open like a flash. He blinked twice then began to speak. "We have a breach." He said. "It's them." And then a loud crash echoed throughout the building.

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Rocket grunts dove out of the way as a beat-up car crashed through the front door of the mansion, breaking a rather large hole in the wall. It came to a dead halt in the front foyer, half in and half out of the building. Smoke billowed out from the busted hood of the car and the bumper was bent all out of shape. Slowly, the Rockets stood up and looked into the smoking vehicle. The driver's seat was oddly empty, as if the car had driven itself into the building. They looked at one another in confusion.

In one unison movement, both of the back doors opened up. Ash came rolling out onto the marble floor; razor leaves flying from his wrists like bullets. The grunts all screamed as the leaves ripped and tore at their skin. The eight men all turned to face the onslaught of leaves, raising their guns up to try and fire at the intruder. Ash saw the gleam off the gun barrels and quickly halted his razor leaf barrage before diving back into the car. Multiple shots went off, bullets cracking the marble floor and piercing the car's metal exterior. "Shit!" Ash said. "Your turn!" He looked to the side, but the object of his conversation was already gone.

The Rockets turned as one to look at the other open door and were immediately greeted by a face full of sand. They screeched in horror, trying to rub the invading particles from their eyes. They were only partially aware of the footsteps that were getting louder until the first man screamed in pain and a splatter of blood flew into the air. The Rocket's torso hit the ground with a sloppy sound. The other men began to fire wildly, hoping to hit the invader, but they only managed to shoot each other in the arms and legs. Several more sickening slashing noises were followed by horrific yells and moans. Ash left the backseat of the car once more, watching the bloody melee that was happening inside a sandy cloud. He noticed two of the men were retreating backwards from the sandstorm. Two vines burst free from Ash's back and shot up to wrap around a metal chain that held an expensive diamond chandelier overhead. Once the men had backed away far enough, Ash yanked on the chain, pulling it free from the ceiling. The duo lifted their guns to try and get a bead on the crazed figure in the sand, but the chandelier landed right on top of them, rendering one unconscious and the other trapped beneath his partner's weight.

The sandstorm died down and the only person left standing was James, his claws dripping with blood, panting wearily along a pile of mutilated bodies. He brought his foot down hard on one Rocket's head, making it explode in a crimson mist like a full water balloon. "Damn." He said with a hint of a smile. "Now that our viruses are sterile and we don't need to worry about agitating them, it sure does feel good to be able to really let loose."

Ash looked at the front of the busted vehicle. "I don't think Bill's going to be able to get the deposit on his rental back."

"So we didn't go quite according to plan, but it worked, didn't it?" James asked, scarping the bottom of his shoe off on one of the dead bodies. "Now let's get moving. We have the element of surprise, but that will only be an advantage for another fifteen minutes, at most."

"Right." Ash nodded. He walked over to the Rocket that was pinned under the chandelier and knelt down by him. "You have three seconds to give me an answer or my friend here is going to give you the most uncomfortable rectal exam imaginable." James lifted up his left hand to show off his claws. "Where are Misty and Brock?"

"W-who?" The man asked softly, scared out of his mind. Ash growled and slapped the man across the face with the back of his hand. James raised an eyebrow at Ash's actions.

"A redheaded girl and a man with one eye!" Ash snarled. "I know you're holding them hostage, now **_where are they_**?!"

"The second floor! Ballroom!" The man yelled in fright. "Please don't hurt me!"

"Shut up!" Ash growled and brought his elbow down on the man's head. His eyes rolled up and he fell unconscious with his buddy. Ash stood up and brushed himself off. There was a staircase right in front of him the twirled around to a balcony like second floor.

"You heard the man. Second floor ballroom." James said. "You better get moving before Giovanni or his minions get a chance to get to them first."

"Right. Where are you going to go?" Ash asked, already moving to the stairs.

"I'm heading down this corridor here." James pointed to his left. "With any luck, I'll run into Giovanni or someone who might know where he is."

"Fine." Ash nodded. "Don't get in over your head, okay? Once I find my friends, I'm getting out of here."

"Fair enough." James said. "But I'm not leaving without that bastard's head in my hands." With that, the man disappeared down the hallway. Ash sighed at his friend's recklessness, then hurried up the staircase. _I'm coming Misty…_

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"Six dead already." Captain Avarice said, his eyes staring at the wall vacantly. "Two unconscious. They've split up and they're heading in separate directions."

"Well, well, well." Giovanni chuckled, stroking the stubble on his chin. "Those two do know how to make an entrance, don't they? Well, as much as I respect their audacity to crash right in here, I cannot let them get away with it." He turned to Clayton. "Go to the hostages and wait. I am sure that is where Ketchum is headed. Make sure you don't kill him…yet. First, do something horrible to his friends. Make him watch." The words made a grin stretch across Clayton's face.

"Yes sir!" He said happily. "I know just what to do." He saluted smartly, then ran out of the room toward the staircase down. Cassandra watched him go, then turned to Giovanni.

"And what would you have me do, sir?" She asked.

"Find James. When you do, kill him. Leave enough for the scientists to examine."

"Absolutely, sir." Cassandra saluted. "I won't let you down." As she left the room, Giovanni turned to Avarice, whose eyes seemed to have shifted back to normal. The man stood up and slicked his dark hair back before adjusting his cloak.

"What do you wish of me, my lord?" Captain Avarice asked.

"Go down to the basement and release our secret weapon. Then call me a helicopter."

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Ash ran down the hallway, cursing to himself at just how large the mansion was. He hadn't been searching for that long, but with his friends' lives in the balance, it felt like he was hours behind schedule. _Ballroom, ballroom, ball-_

He screeched to a halt as the door in front of him opened up suddenly and three Rocket grunts ran out, wielding handguns. They turned and fired at Ash repeatedly. The boy yelped and ducked to the ground, bullets flying over head harmlessly. The Rockets lowered their guns to train it on Ash's body. Ash rolled backwards, then jumped from side to side as bullets imbedded themselves into the carpet inches away from Ash's flailing form.

"Argh! I don't have time for this!" Ash yelled and he thrusted his hand out in front of his body. Razor leaves flew about wildly. The grunts covered their faces as the leaves came rushing by. Ash cut off the torrent of leaves, got to his feet, and ran at the trio. The first man recovered quickly and, upon seeing Ash sprinting at them, raised his gun up to fire again. Ash got to him first and caught the man's wrist. With a sharp twist, the bones shattered and the gun dropped harmlessly to the ground. The Rocket yelled out and Ash drove his elbow into the man's face. He fell backwards to the ground with a resounding thud.

The other two men managed to regain their composure and turned to face Ash. The closest Rocket quickly raised his gun up to Ash's head and pulled the trigger. Ash quickly brought his arm around and pushed the gun to the side, the bullet arcing just out of the way of his face. Ash balled his other hand into a fist and drove it into the man's stomach. He wheezed in pain and Ash pushed him back into his buddy. The third and final man caught his friend and stuck his gun up from over his friend's head and fired. Ash jumped to the side, but a little too slowly. The bullet grazed his upper arm, leaving a burning cut. Ash hissed through his teeth, reaching up to grab the wound. The man pulled the trigger again, but only got a clicking sound.

Ash swung his foot around in a roundhouse kick, hitting the second man in the gut, delivering enough force to knock both men to the ground. Ash dropped to his knees and picked up the gun the first man had dropped. He rolled over to the downed dup, who were trying to get up. Ash spun the butt of the gun around to the side of the second man's temple, causing him to collapse with a scream of pain. Streams of blood trickled down his forehead. Ash spun the gun around and pressed the barrel to the final Rocket's forehead.

"I am not in the mood for games right now." Ash said angrily. "How close is the ballroom?"

"I don't know!" The man wailed. "I'm new here!"

"Then consider this an incentive for early retirement." Ash said, and slammed the gun into the man's face. He groaned in pain, crimson liquid oozing down from inside his nose. Ash hit him again, then a third time until his eyes rolled up and he fell unconscious. Ash discarded the firearm and got ready to stand up when an idea came to him. He looked down at the third man's black Team Rocket outfit and hat.

"Hmmm…" Ash mused. "I wonder."

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James plodded along the hallway slowly, trying to stay as silent as he could. He was able to hear footsteps from the floor above him, probably a bunch of Rockets running around trying to find him. That meant people were still in a panic and that was good news for him. Confusion was his closest ally here.

His walk slowed even more as he passed a row of photographs. Many where of the friends and family of the mayor, but one photo contained several views of the mansion. James paused to survey the photo. He squinted at the small aerial view of the building. His eyes widened when he spotted something on the top of the mansion; a helipad.

_He's going to run._ James realized. _That chicken-shit coward._ He turned around to head back to the stairs that Ash had used, but stopped dead in his tracks. A beautiful woman, as dark as the midnight sky, was carefully making her way down the hallway toward him. James froze in place when she smiled at him.

"Hi there." She said with a light laugh. "You're even better looking then the surveillance video made you seem."

"If you're another one of Giovanni's freaks…" James started, but was cut off by the woman's laughter.

"Is that anyway to accept a compliment?" She asked. "You've hurt my feelings."

"I'll hurt a lot more than that if you come any closer." James growled.

"Ooo, feisty." Her voice was as smooth as silk. She lifted one hand and placed it between her breasts. "You're really starting to pique my interest." She winked at him. "My name is Cassandra Rosary."

"Cassandra?" James asked. "You have a sister named Amy, don't you?"

"Body and brains; you really do have it all, don't you?" Cassandra asked seductively. "Yes, I have a younger sister. I believe you know here well. I half-expected her to be here with you."

"Well, she isn't. You've got me to deal with instead." He struck a battle pose. "So you think it's funny to sell out someone who trusts you? I've got news for you. It's not."

"Sounds like someone's speaking from experience." Cassandra just smiled and continued to approach him. James' scowl deepened. "Does this mean we can't be friends?"

"As a rule, I don't like to hit ladies." James said. "But thankfully for me, I get the impression that you're no lady." He leapt forward, swinging his claws at the woman. Cassandra calmly jumped backwards, spinning in the air and landing gently on the ground. She nimbly sprung toward James, twirling her feet around in a series of fast kicks. James barley managed to get his arms up in time to block the flurry of attacks. He barley had enough time to react to the hits, and couldn't move quick enough to retaliate. _Dammit! How does she move so fast?_

"Surprised?" Cassandra asked haughtily, not ceasing the onslaught of acrobatic kicks for a second. "I'm more than just a pretty body and a good lay, you know."

"You don't say." Was all James could get out between his blocks. He was starting to tire from the fast constant movements, yet Cassandra didn't even look winded. James decided to switch his tactics up slightly. When the next kick came at him, James caught her leg with both hands. Cassandra froze in place, obviously surprised by the power shift. Then she shrugged and brought her other leg straight up. It cracked on James' chin and sent him sprawling backwards. Cassandra landed on her hands, then smoothly bent over backwards until she was on her feet again. James, on the other hand, landed on the ground with a hard thud.

"My, my. You certainly are ungraceful." She said, a hint of laughter in her voice. James just growled and rubbed his jaw as he sat up. "Now, then. I'm here for your head, James. We can do this the easy way," she held out her hands, and the tips of her black fingers extended out to sharp needle-like blades, "or the hard way."

"Well, when you put it like that…" James said, then drove a glowing claw into the ground. The marble floor in front of him split and began widened into a full fissure as it rushed at Cassandra's feet. The woman just smirked, and then jumped out of the way to the wall at her left. She landed deftly, her feet planted firmly against the wall, almost as if daring gravity to defy her. She pushed off toward the other wall and began to ricochet back and forth off the walls like a speeding rubber ball. "No way in hell…" James muttered and tried to get to his feet, but the quick moving Cassandra made one final leap from the wall, spun in the air, and landed in front of James, her legs straddling the small fissure opening. She swung her hands around, slashing at James' face. Long red gashes appeared on his face as the claws dug into his skin. James yelled out in pain. His face felt like it was on fire.

He brought his own claws up to counter Cassandra's extended nails and managed to repel her attacks and take a swing at her. Cassandra jumped up and swung her leg around in mid-air, smashing into his face and sending him to the ground again with enough force that he actually tumbled backwards from it. She landed on one foot daintily before regaining her balance.

_Jesus! She's even faster than Klaus!_ James hissed, holding his head. Blood dripped down his chin from the corner of his mouth and the cuts on his face. He rose to his feet as Cassandra started her calm walk over to him. He wiped the blood from his chin and kept his eyes trained on her swaying body. Cassandra shot him a sly smile, then she jumped into the air and plunger her sharp fingers into an overhead light fixture. Sparks flew from the ceiling and pieces of shattered bulb and filament cracked onto the ground. The section of the hallway was suddenly plunged into shadows.

Cassandra landed deftly next to James, and swung her leg around to kick his chest. James saw her move and caught her leg in his hand. "Not this time, girly." James growled and drove his claws into her stomach. Just as the claws were about to hit her skin, she disappeared into thin air. James stumbled forward, a leg no longer in his hand and his target suddenly gone. "What the fuck is this?" He asked in confusion, swinging his arms around angrily, trying to find where she went. All he hit was air.

There was a light giggle from around him and James flipped around rapidly, trying to pinpoint the source. "Where are you?" He hissed. Suddenly, out of nowhere, long gashes appeared in James' arm, tearing holes in his shirt. He groaned in pain and another set of slashes appeared on his face. He swung his arms around in a futile attempt to hit his attacker. All he got in response was another laugh.

James snarled and turned on his heel, running for the edge of the shadows. Something caught his leg and yanked hard, sending him face first into the marble floor. He grunted in pain and closed his eyes. He felt himself get flipped over and something pinned his hands down. He tried to fight against it, but it was hard to fight an invisible force. He felt warm breath by his ear, and then a tearing sensation as something trailed down his chest, cutting the full way through his shirt and leaving a long gash in his skin. He felt his shirt get pushed away and then a sharp pain as a set of teeth bit down into his shoulder. Little pinpricks started to cover his body as if he was being stabbed repeatedly by needles across his chest and pelvis. Small pools of blood formed at each new hole in his body.

"Would you like to see how closely pain and pleasure are related?" Cassandra's voice whispered in his ear. Something was starting to tear at his belt.

"I already know." James hissed. His claws began to glow dull red. "And I'm not interested in a refresher course." He flicked his wrists backwards, allowing the tips of his claws to touch the floor. It was enough contact to create an earthquake that started to widen right beneath him. James felt the earth around him crack away and he fell into the schism he had created. The force on his wrists immediately disappeared and James struck his claws out, digging into the dirt and managing to catch him from falling any further into the ten foot drop. He swung his arm around so he was on one side of the chasm and he scaled up the wall in a hurry. Once he was back onto marble floor, he dove for the shadow's edge, successfully rolling into the light. He got to his feet, panting furiously. His chest was sticky with blood, but the holes had already healed.

"Come out, come out wherever you are." James taunted the shadows. "C'mon Cassandra. I know you're in there." He got no response and James just sighed. Maybe she was down in the hole and maybe she wasn't. But he didn't have time to play around any longer. He turned from the shadow and ran back to the main foyer so he could get to the helipad. The only thing he heard behind him was the echo of his own footsteps.

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Misty felt like she was going to be sick. The horrible gruel the Rockets had been feeding them seemed to hardly be made of edible food as is, and she had a hard enough time keeping anything down because she was so sick with worry. Why had Team Rocket relocated them so suddenly? She looked around the room she was in. She was in an extravagant ballroom, complete with a grand piano, crystal chandeliers overhead and ornate statues along the walls. It would be almost beautiful if she wasn't tied to a metal chair in the center of it. Brock was tied up in his own chair behind her so they were back to back.

Poor Brock. Those monsters had ripped out his right eye. No anesthetic or anything. They just went in with a knife and… Misty shuddered. She hadn't seen it happen, but when Brock related the story to her, it was almost enough to make her vomit. He had a crude eye patch now, but that was the only comfort they had been offered. The whole experience was demeaning; they were fed twice a day like dogs and hosed down once a day with cold water. They were fully dressed for the 'baths' too, although that Clayton creep kept offering to strip her down first. They usually came by twice a day for regulated bathroom trips and she was almost always accompanied by the previously mention creep, who kept peeking in and watching her. Normally she would be furious, and part of her definitely was, but her brain was more set to being scared out of her mind.

Worry had been flooding her everyday since Team Rocket captured them. It had been a full week since they got captured and any hopes for being rescued had escaped them. They didn't know how long it would be until Team Rocket decided to get rid of them, but Clayton kept bragging about how she was going to be his when it was all over. She told him that she prayed that she would die before he got a chance and he responded that it wouldn't make much of a difference to him. Every night since, she had been plagued with horrific nightmares.

She heard a loud creak as the door to the ballroom opened up. Both she and Brock turned to see who it was. A lone Rocket grunt walked into the room, his cap pulled down to seemingly obscure his face. His hands were shoved into his pockets. He closed the door and started walking to them. Misty sighed, trying to get the anger in her voice back.

"Oh? Is it bathroom time already?" She growled angrily at him as he approached. The man didn't respond. Brock lifted his head and glared at the Rocket.

"You're late." He said, then cocked his head. "You don't look like one of our normal guards."

"He must be new." Misty said, taunting him. "Aren't you a little short for a Rocket grunt?"

"Maybe." He said shrugging his shoulders. He reached up and whipped his cap off. Misty and Brock's jaws dropped and their faces turned into a speechless expression of wonder. A teal-skinned Ash was looking back at them, grinning like a hyena. "Good thing I'm not a Rocket grunt, huh?"

"A…A…" Misty's voice died and her mouth moved without words.

"Sorry guys, I couldn't resist." Ash said, still grinning. "Damn, is it good to see you two again. I was afraid Giovanni might have had you killed."

"ASH!" Misty shouted, unable to contain her emotions. For the first time in days, she felt relief and a sense of joy. "Oh my God! Ash!" Her eyes began to tear up. "You…you're alive! You're alive and you're here!"

"Of course I'm here!" Ash said. "How else am I supposed to rescue you?"

"How did you know?" Brock asked. "How did you know we were here?"

"Giovanni sent me…umm…your eye." Ash found he had a hard time looking Brock in the face, not out of disgust, but shame. "He gave me an ultimatum to come here and bargain for your lives." He got down on his knees next to them and began to work on the knots that bound them to the chairs and each other. "I had another idea. It was called: 'Don't fuck with my friends'."

"I just can't believe you're here." Misty whispered, tears streaming down her face. "I thought I…I thought _we_ lost you forever."

"Well, I am here." Ash said, looking up at her and giving her a smile. In any other circumstance, his unnaturally sharp teeth might have caused her to balk. But his grin was so wonderfully familiar to her, all she felt was a warm, calming effect. "And I am going to get you guys out of here, pronto."

"How?" Brock asked.

"Same way I came in." Ash said, a grin tugging at the corners of his lips. "Brute force." Brock was about to speak up again when the door to the ballroom opened back up. All three turned to see who was at the door. Misty and Brock gasped at James' imposing figure staring down at them.

"I see you found your friends, twerp." James said.

"Ash! It's James!" Misty shouted in worry.

"Hey! Whoa!" Ash held his hands out to calm her down. "It's okay! James is on our side, okay?"

"Yeah, calm down." James said, walking into the room.

"James and I have been working together." Ash reassured his friends as James walked up behind him. "Did you find Giovanni?" He asked. In response, James drove his claws deep into Ash's back. Ash yelled out as the sharp blades pierced his skin and dug into his muscles. Misty screamed.

"No." James said with a smile. "But I think killing you will do just fine." Then he ripped the blades out at a downward angle, resulting in a gush of blood from the wounds and leaving deep cuts in the boy's back. Ash collapsed to the ground with a scream of pain.

"Ash!" Misty exclaimed. "Oh God! Ash!"

"What the hell?" Ash mumbled, trying to get to his feet. James grabbed the back of Ash's neck and threw him to the side. Ash crashed into the ground with a loud bang.

"Ash!" Brock yelled to him. "That's not James!"

"It's Clayton!" Misty called out, catching Brock's idea. "He's a Rocket that's part Ditto! He can become other people!" James turned to Misty angrily.

"Cheeky brats!" He snarled. "Nobody like a tattle-tale." He raised his arm up to slash Misty's prone body. She squeaked and wiggled against her ropes in the vain hope of getting free. He began to swing his arm down when a pair of vines wrapped around his wrist and pulled his hand back. James looked behind him to Ash standing up, with two vines protruding from his back.

"Don't you dare lay a hand on her!" Ash yelled at him angrily, then tugged hard on the vines, pulling James down onto his back. James snarled and tried to slash at the restrained hand. Ash quickly withdrew his ivy appendages and held his hands out, ready to fire out a storm of razor leaves. He stopped when he saw how close he was to his friends. _I can't fire now; a stray shot might hit Misty or Brock._

James took advantage of the moment and jumped to his feet before dashing at Ash, claws at the ready. Ash steeled himself for the attack, planting his feet on the ground firmly and balling his hand into fists. Midway through his dash, James leapt into the air and dissolved into a blob of pink goop. Ash's eyes widened in shock and he lost his edge in confusion. The pink blob reformed into the gaunt form of Clayton in time for him to deliver a kick to Ash's head. Although he's thin and lanky, Clayton's hit had enough force to knock Ash into a backwards stumble towards the door. Clayton didn't give him a moment of respite and rushed at him, shouldering him out the door and into the hallway.

Misty turned to Brock in horror. "Brock! We have to do something!" She began to wiggle in her chair. "Come on! Come on!"

"Misty!" Brock yelled. "Stop wriggling! I think Ash loosened these knots enough for me to get my hand free!" Brock struggled for a few second before pulling his hand out of the mess of ropes. "Success!"

"Hurry! Untie me!" Misty said. Brock nodded and reached back to untie one of Misty's hands. Once she had a free arm, the two quickly managed to undo their own ropes. Brock was free first and he stood up and helped Misty out of the rest of her knots. Once she was no longer restrained, she stood up as fast as a thundershock. "We gotta get to the hallway!" She yelled and she ran off toward the door.

"Misty! Wait!" Brock yelled after her, chasing her across the ballroom to the door, hearing the scuffle of a fight outside of the room. She burst out of the open doorway and came to a complete halt. On either side of the doorway was an identical Ash. Both were panting heavily. They both turned to look at her when she appeared.

"Misty!" The Ash on the left exclaimed. "Look out!" He pointed at the other Ash. "That's really Clayton!"

"Are you kidding me?" The Ash on the right burst out. "Please tell me you aren't going to do this clichéd trick! Misty, I'm the real Ash!"

"You're not going to trick her!" The left Ash growled. "She's too smart for that."

"Don't listen to his lies, Misty! I'm Ash!"

"No, I am!"

"No, I AM!"

"Oh man…" Brock groaned, looking over Misty's shoulder at the two men. Misty's eyes darted back and forth. She knew she should be able to tell the real Ash, but they were too similar.

"I think you need a goatee, duplicate Ash." The left Ash said.

"I'm not the duplicate! You are!"

"Misty, listen to me." The left Ash pleaded. "Your name is Misty Waterflower. You have three sisters and you used to run the Cerulean City gym. We've known each other for seven years. You beat me in the Whirl Cup." Ash smiled happily. "Only I would know all that."

"Anyone could find that out!" The right Ash yelled in exasperation. "Especially Team Rocket! Argh!" Ash gripped his head, and then seemed to come up with something. "Misty! I made a promise to you! Do you remember? A promise that we would travel together for ever and never go our separate ways again. A promise to be best friends forever." He was surprised how acute his memory was of this moment. Like it was a hidden sanctuary that the disease could not touch. "We were by a small pond and I arrived late because of a press interview over me declining the league position. You told me that how much nicer Pallet was than Cerulean. Remember? We clasped hands to seal the deal. And you smiled at me."

"Ash…" Misty said softly, pulling away from the Ash on the left. The other Ash grunted in frustration.

"Oh, now that's just not fair at all!" The left Ash yelled and rushed at the real one. His body morphed into pink goo, then back into the form of Clayton as he delivered a kick to Ash's sternum. Ash grunted and stumbled back, but his eye caught Clayton's next movement and he raised his arm to block's Clayton's kick. Clayton jumped backwards as Ash took a swing at him. Ash growled and held his hand out to unleash some razor leaves, but Clayton took the initiative and grabbed Misty by the shoulders, pulling her in front of him. Brock tried to grab her to get her away, but Clayton elbowed him in the chest hard, causing him to fall to his knees. Misty wiggled uncomfortably in Clayton's grip, but she couldn't free herself from his iron grip.

"Go ahead. Let loose those leaves." Clayton taunted him. "More holes in the redhead means more fun for me."

"Why you-" Ash started, his voice a menacing growl. Still, he lowered his hand, knowing he couldn't risk Misty's safety.

"Good boy." Clayton said smugly. "That deserves a treat." He gave Misty a hard push forward, sending her to the floor. Then he reached behind his back, pulling something from his back belt loop. His hand came back around with a throwing knife, the blade held between two fingers. He flicked his wrist and sent the knife flying at Ash's chest. Ash moved to the side as quick as he could, but the knife still caught him off-guard, hitting his shoulder dead on. Ash cried out and recoiled slightly. Clayton grinned and reached for another knife, but felt a hand on his shoulder seconds before it twisted him around. His face met Brock's fist and blood shot out from Clayton's nose as he stumbled back slightly. Brock went for a second punch, but Clayton saw this one coming and caught his arm. Brock tried for a second hit, but Clayton caught the other arm as well.

"You're out of fists." Clayton grinned evilly. Then his face contorted into a look of pure pain as, from behind him, Misty drew her leg back and kicked him between the legs as hard as she could. He let go of Brock's arms and collapsed to the ground, holding his crotch tenderly.

"Jerk." She said, scowling at the downed man. She turned to Ash, who was walking up, holding a bloody knife in one hand. The shoulder of the Rocket outfit was stained with blood. "Oh, Ash…"

"Good job, guys. Now, let me finish him off." Ash held his hand out over Clayton's body, already feeling the razor leaves in his arms traveling toward his palm.

"Finish him off?" Misty asked weakly. Suddenly, the leaves stopped in place. Something in the way she said it caused Ash to freeze up. Could he really do it? This bastard had threatened his friends and Ash wanted him dead. But right now? Could he kill someone in front of Misty?

Ash's pause was just enough time for Clayton to recover and he quickly shifted into a ball of goop before reforming into the guise of Scyther-hybrid Klaus. "Shit!" Ash yelled, pushing Misty out of the way as Klaus jumped to his feet, his scythes flailing like mad. "Watch out Brock!"

"Jesus!" Brock jumped back into the ballroom as Klaus ran past him, then turned to face Ash. His eyes narrowed and he pointed one scythe at Ash.

"Come and get me, Ketchum." He said tauntingly. "Or I'll tear your friends apart piece by piece."

"Stay here!" Ash yelled to Misty and Brock as he ran forward at Klaus, fists at the ready.

"Ash!" Brock and Misty shouted in unison.

"Come on, kid. Let's see what you're made of." Klaus grinned. Ash just steadied himself for his next attack. _Dodge the scythe attack, then deliver an uppercut…_

Much to Ash's surprise, Klaus's features disappeared into a guise of pink ooze and reformed into Amy, her large eyes wide with surprise. "I love you, Ash!" She yelled in fear and desperation.

"Guh?" Ash stumbled a bit, his mind suddenly shifting gears. He recovered quickly, but not quite fast enough. His punch went completely off course and Amy was able to grab him by the arm and twist him around. Ash's face whipped around to look her in the eyes and her pupils went white. A kaleidoscope of color burst in front of Ash's eyes, completely distorting his brain. He let out a shout of surprise and Amy quickly grabbed the side of his head and slammed him up against the wall. Ash never saw it coming and the impact caused him to collapse to the ground. Amy turned to Misty and Brock with a victorious smile.

"Well, that was easy." She laughed.

"Ash!" Misty ran at Amy angrily, her hands balled into fists. Brock followed behind her, unsure whether to try and stop her or back her up. Amy just laughed.

"Oh, please." She said. She closed her eyes and her wings began to vibrate, causing shimmers of purple dust to fly off, filling the air around her like a glittering cloud. Misty came to halt in front of it, surprised and confused. Amy opened her eyes and her wings started to beat. The gust from the wing movement blew the dust into Misty and Brock's faces.

"What is this?" Misty panicked, trying to wave the cloud away from her unsuccessfully. Amy giggled happily at the scene the two were making.

"Don't breathe it in!" Ash yelled from his position on the floor. He was gripping his head in pain, but it seemed he could see straight again. "It's-" he watched Misty drop to the ground in a heap, followed shortly by Brock. "-sleeping powder." Ash finished lamely. "Dammit." He grunted as he felt a foot press against the back of his head.

"What do you say, Ashy-boy?" Amy said with a laugh. "Want to go find a private place to fuck?"

"How do you-"

"I like to watch the surveillance tapes of women's locker rooms." Amy said smugly. "We happened to have a back-up of one very interesting scene about six days ago in Topaz Town, sound and everything." She smiled at him with a taunting, evil sweetness. "Still feel like a monster, Ash?"

"More and more everyday." Ash growled and turned his head to the side. His eyes had gone a bright yellow color.

"Oh shit." Amy's eyebrows shot up and she jumped into the air as Ash opened his mouth. A powerful solarbeam hit the floor, burning a large hole in the floor, and right down through into the first floor. Ash closed his mouth and cut off the beam before rolling to his feet. Amy's wings slowed her descent so she could land on the other side of the massive hole. Twin vines burst out of Ash's back and shot out at Amy, wrapping around her waist. She gasped in frustration and her body turned into a blob of pink goop again, slipping out of the vines' grip. Ash seized the opportunity and thrusted the vines down quickly, chucking the pink mass through the hole he made in the floor. The goop reformed into the body of Clayton, but he was already on the opposite side of the floor. He shouted in confusion before slamming into the ground several feet below him. He hit the floor hard and his movements were restricted to groans and spasms. Then he opened his eyes, glared up at Ash, and rolled to his feet before running off in another direction.

Ash breathed a sigh of relief, then turned to his friends. Much to his surprise, Brock was awake and kneeling by Misty, shaking her gently. Ash rushed over to him, holding his still-throbbing head. "Brock!" He said excitedly. "You're awake!"

"Yeah." Brock nodded. "I bred Butterfrees for a while. I realized what this was and held my breath. When I saw Misty go down for the count, I faked falling asleep to throw Clayton off."

"Thank God." Ash said. "I don't think I could carry both of you out of here."

"How long will she be out?" Brock asked, still shaking Misty's shoulder.

"Depends on how much she inhaled." Ash shrugged. "I think she'll be out for a while, so you had better carry her. I'll have to provide cover."

"Okay." Brock swept the limp Misty up in his arms and turned to Ash. "Lead the way out of here, man."

"Follow me." Ash said, waving his hand. Brock nodded and followed after him. "How's your shoulder?"

"It's healing." Ash said simply.

"Oh. So…since when did you become such a good fighter?" Brock asked.

"Let's just get out of here." Ash said. "I'll fill you in on everything later."

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Giovanni's hair blew in multiple directions as a black, military-grade helicopter landed on the helipad in front of him. Captain Avarice stood next to him, hands folded behind his back, his gelled hair not moving one inch. Giovanni smirked as the door opened up and a Rocket with a helmet looked out and motioned for him to get in. Slowly and easily, he walked over to the chopper, Avarice following behind him. Giovanni let the captain get in first and then he got in himself. Even though the blades were still moving and making major noise, he could still hear the frenzied screams from behind him. He looked out at the hatch that led out to the roof was wide open and James was standing on the roof, seething with anger.

"GIOVANNI!" James screamed. "You're mine!"

"I don't think so." Giovanni yelled back. The helicopter began to lift off, hovering above the rooftop. "We're taking off now!"

"Oh no, you don't!" James shouted and ran up to the helicopter, ready to dig his claws into the side of it.

"If you try to come aboard, your compatriots will die!" Giovanni shouted. James slowed down to a halt. "There's a rather nasty ambush awaiting them in the lobby, where I assume they will head to. If my other minions haven't taken care of them, I'm sure this will. There will be deaths involved, if not Ketchum's then that of his little friends."

"You're bluffing!" James shouted back.

"Are you willing to take that chance?" Giovanni taunted back. James just glared up at him as the helicopter began to take off in earnest.

"I will hunt you down eventually." James yelled up. "And on that day, you will reap what you've sown."

"I look forward to it." Giovanni shouted back and then disappeared into the helicopter as the door slammed shut. The last opportunity to grab onto the retreating body of the chopper disappeared as the flying machine took off. James scowled up at his missed chance, cursing his guilty conscious. He stormed off to the center of the roof. He had to locate where the lobby would be. Then he had to find the perfect spot to work from.

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Ash rounded the last corner until he came to grand stairway that descended into the foyer. Brock followed behind him loyally, carrying the sleeping Misty like a big baby. Ash hurried down the curve of the stairs until he reached about halfway and he could see fully into the lobby. The car was still half into the building and there were Rocket bodies littered all over the place. Only now there were police cars parked outside as well, but not policemen. Well except for one.

In the center of the room, a tall man with spiky red hair and a black Team Rocket outfit stood uneasily. His skin was smooth as velvet and as blue as the sky. He had a long tail jutting out from behind him and a horn sticking out of his forehead. Twin miniature wings extended from the side of his head, just above his ears. Handcuffs adorned each wrist, with broken chains hanging off. He was holding something resembling a body in his left hand and laughing hysterically. Blood was splattered all across his body.

"Uh…" Ash looked the man up and down. "Is that…"

"Lance?" Brock asked weakly from behind him. "Of the Elite Four?"

"Ahahaha!" Lance laughed happily. He held up the body in his hand. It used to be a cop, if the uniform was any indication and it used to have a head as well. "Funny man's head went pop!"

"That's not good." Ash hissed back at Brock.

"I gathered." Brock responded. "Oh, man."

"It was fun! Like fireworks! POW!" He exclaimed, dropping the man and making an extravagant explosion symbol with his arms. "But I ran out of people. I want to make more things go pop!" He smiled at Ash, not an evil smile, just a sadistic one. "Can you go pop?"

"Sorry, Lance." Ash said. "I have a strict no-head-popping policy."

"You don't have a choice!" Lance laughed. "You go boom!" He thrusted his fists out at Ash and a green smoke swirled around his arms from his body to his hands. The smoke collected at his fists, then fired out a large blast of ethereal green fire.

"Holy shit!" Ash exclaimed as the green fireball spiraled in his direction. "Brock! Get down and protect Misty!" Brock instinctively dropped to the floor behind Ash and covered the girl's body with his own. Ash brought his own arms up to protect his face and stood still in front of his friends. The fire struck Ash full on, scorching his skin. Ash screamed in pain. It didn't burn like a normal fire; instead it felt like hundreds of small animals biting and tearing at his flesh. Brock held Misty tightly, covering his own head in hopes of staying away from the fire.

The fire engulfed Ash's body, then dissipated into thin air without so much as a hint of smoke. When the roar of the blaze was gone, Brock slowly poked his head out and took a look at Ash. He was still standing in place, arms crossing in front of his face, but he was shaking visibly. His exposed skin was burnt and ripped up and the Rocket outfit he was wearing was no filled with holes and rips.

Ash slowly lowered his arms, revealing a partially burnt face. The pain had been immense and there were tears in the corner of his eyes. His teeth were gritted, preventing him from groaning in pain. Lance chuckled in a playful manner.

"You scream funny!" He said. "But still no head pop! We'll have to try again!" He held his hands out again.

"Not this time!" Ash put both his arms out, palms up. Razor leaves crawled up his skin and burst through his wrists, flying through the air. They whizzed by Lance, cutting at his skin and, a few times, digging into his body. He yelled in surprise, trying to stop the onslaught of leaves and tearing at the ones that were stuck in his body.

"Brock!" Ash yelled to his friend. He could feel his supply of leaves start to run out. "Get to a corner of the room and hide!" Brock nodded and Ash cut off the razor leaf barrage so he could run past them and into the far corner of the room. Lance pulled the last leaf out of his shoulder and his eyes followed Brock's retreating form.

"Ooo! Two heads to pop!" He said excitedly.

"I don't think so!" Ash yelled and charged down the stairs. Lance turned to face Ash as the boy dove into melee range and started to punch at Lance like crazy. The man didn't even try and evade the attacks, he just let each punch hit him. He recoiled from each one and Ash knew he felt it, but it just seemed like Lance didn't care. Like the pain sensor of his brain was shut off.

Eventually, Lance found a weak spit in Ash's attacks and drove a punch to the boy's stomach. Ash doubled over with a wheeze of pain and Lance grabbed Ash by the throat, lifting him off the ground. "Head go boom!" Lance shouted and squeezed Ash's neck hard. Ash coughed and kicked at Lance, but couldn't hit him with enough force to knock him over. His face started to turn a purple shade and veins throbbed in his forehead.

As if on instinct, the two vines burst out of Ash's back again and flew down to wrap around Lance's ankles. The vines tugged hard and Lance lost his footing. He fell over backwards, dropping Ash to the ground. Both men hit the floor with a loud bang.

Lance got up first, rolling backwards until he was on his feet. Ash followed shortly afterwards, pushing himself up painfully, his face starting to return to its normal teal hue. The vines retreated into his back and he glared Lance down, who was still grinning and giggling like an idiot.

"You're no fun. You need to stay still." Lance's grin darkened and Ash felt something start to move around his feet. He looked down sharply and saw two small ethereal dragons swirling around his feet. "What the- !" Ash exclaimed, trying to move away. The dragons continued to wrap around his body until it formed like a constrictive coil around his body. The dragons lifted Ash into the air as the boy struggled against the coils of the ghostly creatures. Their grip tightened and Ash felt the life getting squeezed out of him. He yelled out in pain, unable to move.

"Hee hee. You're bones will snap soon enough." Lance chortled. "For now, though…" He turned to Brock, who was still hiding in the corner. The big man gulped. "Heh heh heh….POW!"

"Don't do it, Lance!" Ash screamed, or tried to scream. The air was being forced from his lungs and he could only wheeze the words. Lance ignored his floating prey and stalked toward Brock and Misty. He licked his lips and cracked his finger joints. He held his arms out, hands in fists, and a green smoke began to trail down and swirl around his arms. "NO!" Ash whispered, his last breaths getting harder and harder to take. He felt like he was about to pass out from lack of oxygen.

Suddenly dust and small debris fell down onto Lance's head. The ethereal smoke died down as Lance lowered his arms and looked up in confusion. The ceiling was began to crack and split. "Ceiling go pop?" He asked as the tear above them got larger. Then, as if from nowhere, James jumped into the crack and fell through the air. His body blurred as he tumbled down the twenty-four foot drop until he landed on Lance's head, pushing the man to the ground from the impact of the fall. Lance yelled out and the dragons that entangled Ash's body vanished, dropping him to the marble floor as well. Ash immediately inhaled a huge breath of air, trying to make up for the lack of air in his lungs.

James didn't even pay attention to his throbbing legs. He grabbed Lance's collar in one hand and repeatedly punched the man's face with the other. The claws left huge gaping holes in Lance's face. Blood was shooting into the air around them like a fountain as James continually drove the sharp claws into Lance's face. Lance sputtered and coughed from the blood running down his throat. He scraped at James' body repeatedly, trying to get them man off of him. Eventually his movements died down and, with one final hit, James let go of Lance's collar. Ash walked over and looked down at what used to be Lance's face. He felt his stomach churn at the sight in front of him. His face looked like tenderized veal and blood was crusting around every orifice.

"James?"

"Giovanni got away." Was all the man said, staring down at his handiwork. "Now help me up. I think I fucked up my legs." Ash nodded and let James put his bloody arm around Ash's shoulders. Ash helped lift him up and they limped over to Brock, who was standing up as well. James looked at the girl in Brock's arms and worry momentarily crossed his face. "Is she…"

"Asleep." Ash said quickly. "She's just sleeping."

"Good." James said. "I didn't want to think that you may have failed after all this."

"We're okay." Brock said. "Uh…thanks, James."

"Whatever." James dismissed him. "Let's just go. There's nothing left for us here."

"How? I don't think Bill's car is going to run anymore."

"I think I have an idea." James said. "Let's go down the hallway that I-" He froze in mid sentence and looked over his shoulder. Ash followed suit and his eyes widened. Lance was getting up, wiping the blood of his mangled face, laughing all the while.

"You've got to be kidding me!" Ash said.

"Hee hee hee….My head no go pop!" He giggled. "Your heads can though! Pop, pop, pop!" He took a step toward them, and then stopped as light flooded the room from out the hole in the front of the room. Several more police cars pulled up to the front of the mansion and flashed their headlights into the room.

"Don't anybody move! We have this place surrounded!" An angry female voice said. Lance turned to look outside, smiling crazily.

"More heads!" He said cheerfully.

"Now what?" Brock hissed.

"We run!" James said back.

"But the cops…" Ash interjected.

"Will shoot you as fast they will Lance." James finished for him. "Now let's go! The cops can hold him back." He forced Ash to move, leading them down the hallway he had originally gone down. They only went a short while before James stopped them and pointed to a large white door in the wall. Ash obediently opened the door and revealed a large garage full of expensive cars. Closest to them, with the keys still in the ignition, was a brand-new ruby red convertible.

A smile crossed Ash's face. "Fuck yes." He pulled James over and dropped him into the side seat. The man winced, but kept his mouth shut. Brock moved to the back seat and set Misty down gently before going around to the other side. Ash stopped him and handed him the keys. "Can you drive?" He asked. "You know, with the whole…thing?" He motioned to his eyes. Brock nodded and didn't ask any questions. He simply sat down in the driver's seat and turned the ignition. Ash jumped over the door and sat down next to Misty. He pulled the girl's sleeping head into his lap.

"Ready?" Brock asked.

"Gun it!" Ash yelled. Brock put the pedal to the floor and the car took off with a start. It broke right through the garage door easily, not offering any resistance. Brock tore off down the driveway, swerving around parked cop cars. Ball of green fire and condensed beams of energy were firing out of the front of the mansion, tearing up the yard and sending bodies of policemen soaring through the air. A police car near the convertible took the brunt of a condensed energy beam and it exploded into a ball of fire.

"Watch it!" James yelled and Brock turned the steering wheel hard. Brock managed to outmaneuver the chaos around them and he drove straight out the front gate through the hole they had made on their way in. The convertible hit the main road and kept driving until the mansion was out of sight.

As dawn started to rise in the distance, Ash closed his eyes and stroked Misty's hair. He knew it helped keep her calm, but right now, it was calming him as well. The burns in his face were healing nicely, but they almost hurt as bad healing as they did burning. "Jeez…so they have Lance. And you say the whole Pokemon league came over here?"

"That's what the TV report said." Brock nodded.

"So what about Gary?" Ash asked, slightly worried. "Do you think they have him?"

"I don't know." Brock shrugged.

"Wonderful." Ash closed his eyes and groaned.

"Where are we going, anyway?" Brock asked.

"We don't have the gas to get us all the way back to Topaz Town." James said. "But we should be able to stop by Pearl City. Brock can get a suite for him and the redhead and we can climb in through the window."

"So you were in Topaz Town." Brock said to himself. "Huh."

"I just want to rest." Ash said. "It's been a hell of a night." He opened one eye and looked at Brock. "I'm glad you guys are safe though. I was worried about you."

"We were worried about you too, Ash." Brock said. "It's good to have you back."

o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o

Clayton walked out into the open foyer of the mansion. The entire room was torn apart. Lance was standing in the center of it, panting wildly. His face and body were hardly recognizable, but he laughed all the same. Dead bodies of policemen littered the floor like they belonged there and Clayton had to be careful not to step in any pools of blood.

He stepped onto a disembodied hand and the bones made a crunching noise beneath his shoes. Clayton groaned at his carelessness and Lance immediately whipped around, salivating wildly.

"Pop?" He asked, staring at Clayton's head. The man made a disgusted face and snapped his fingers.

"Salazar." He said evenly. Lance's eyes rolled up into his eyes and he crumples to the ground. Clayton exhaled sharply. "Thank God for control words." He walked over to Lance's body and grimaced. He was going to need more than an ultra potion for those injuries. He should be long dead, but….Clayton ripped open Lance's shirt and stared at the crystal imbedded in the man's chest. _Dragonair's are special, after all._

He stood up and surveyed the scene. With a sigh, he pulled out his cell phone and dialed a number. He waited for the voice on the other end to pick up.

"Clayton." Giovanni's voice said, rough as sandpaper. "Status."

"They're gone." Clayton sighed.

"All of them?"

"Yeah. All of them." He groaned. He was going to catch hell for this…

"Feh. You're as useless as I thought. I shouldn't have entrusted this to you." Giovanni sighed. "No matter." He waved it off. "I got what I need. I don't really need them anymore. The final phase can continue unhindered."

"So you're just going to let them go?" Clayton asked.

"Of course not. But now I can have some fun with them. The big man still has the tracking device on him. Finding them won't be hard. Then we just have to keep them busy."

"What should I do, sir?"

"Sedate Lance and get as much as you can out of there before the police make too much noise."

"Police aren't going to be to big a problem for a while. Lance took care of almost all of Emerald Village's police force."

"Excellent. Then do what you need. Meet me back at headquarters so we can finish preparations."

"As you wish, sir." Clayton closed the cell phone and put it away. "You can come out now, Cassandra." He said. From the shadows cast from the stairs, Cassandra walked into the light, becoming visible.

"What did the boss say?"

"Pack up and head out." Clayton looked back at her. "We're going to launch the final phase."

To Be Continued….

* * *

**Outro:** And so, the rescue mission was a success. But Team Rocket claims the day as a victory as well and plan to lanuch the final steps of their scheme. What are they up to? Can Ash and the gang stop it?

Oh man! I loved writing that chapter! The writing block that hit me last chapter is gone and I think writing a new iteration helped. Switching gears from the espionage mission really got me going again. I think the fast pace of this chapter compared to the overall feel of the last Iteration helped too. Either way, I'm pumped and I can't wait to keep writing!

Now for your favorite part, the move list;

Ash's Move List - Vine Whip, Razor Leaf, Leech Seed, Solarbeam

James' Move List - Slash, Swift, Earthquake, Sandstorm

Lance's Move List - Dragon Rage, Twister, Hyper Beam

Clayton's Move List - Transform

Cassandra's Move List - Quick Attack, Pursuit, Faint Attack, Cut

Got comments or reviews? Be sure to leave one for me and I'll try and respond to you! Let me know what you thought! Until next time, this is Twilight Equinox signing off!

- T.E.


	16. Elucidation

**Intro:** Another update from T.E. within one week of the last one? What is the world coming to? Anyway, I hope you enjoy this chapter. It's very dialouge heavy, and it's got a different tone than most of the story, but hopefully you will find it satisfactory. So go forth and read. This is my story, but I do not own Pokemon or it's characters.

* * *

**Hybrids: Sixth Iteration**

**Strand 2: Elucidation**

"Wow." Brock said, his underwhelming comment unable to properly represent his feelings. He couldn't think of anything else to say. Everything Ash and James had just related to him was having trouble sinking in. It was like a work of fiction you _knew_ couldn't be true, yet you couldn't refute because the proof was right in front of you. "That's just…wow."

"I know what you mean." Ash said, nodding. He was sitting on a cheap wooden chair that had come with the hotel room. For being a deluxe two-bedroom suite, the accommodations were surprisingly bland. Lackluster and uncomfortable furniture complimented the tacky wallpaper and pictures. One room had a queen-size bed and the other had two twin beds, neither of which were especially inviting. There was a balcony, but that wasn't much use to people in hiding. The only redeeming quality to it all was the mini-bar, which James had immediately helped himself to upon climbing in through the window. It was inconvenient, but being on the fifth floor did lend itself to certain advantages when it comes to laying low and out of sight.

Brock was sitting in another chair on the opposite side of the queen bed as Ash. Misty was lying on the bed, still fast asleep. James was sitting on the floor, greedily tearing into a large chocolate candy bar shaped like a Lickitung. Brock rubbed his temple with his hand. His fingers brushed his eye patch and Ash averted his gaze. "So the Port Sapphire incident and the Garnet Breeding Center were both your doing?"

"Yeah." Ash nodded.

"And you managed to collapse the entire Topaz Town coal and lumber mill, too?"

"Well, that was more Zach." Ash said. James grunted in response.

"I'm just blown away." Brock said. "I mean, this all seems so surreal." He shook his head and pressed the palm of his hand against his remaining eye. "And you say Bill's in on this too? As in 'Help-I'm-Stuck-In-A-Kabuto-Costume' Bill?"

"The very same." Ash nodded. "He managed to create a serum that killed the virus' means of reproduction. He just had to inject it into us. The first night was rough, what with out bodies adjusting and all, but I feel better than ever now, especially since I know I'm not in a constant downward slide into becoming a wild Pokemon."

"It's still no picnic." James spoke up gruffly.

"But it's no longer a death sentence." Ash countered. "At least not in itself. It's still why Team Rocket wants us dead, though."

"Well, it's still good news." Brock said.

"Yeah." Ash agreed, and then turned his gaze down to Misty's sleeping form. His eyebrows knotted up in concern. "She's been asleep for an awful long time. I'm starting to get worried."

"She hasn't gotten a good night sleep since you left, Ash." Brock shook his head. "This is the first time she's been out cold without thrashing horribly from nightmares. Plus, she's only been out for about six hours. Give her some more time."

"I guess so." Ash sighed. "As long as she keeps breathing."

"So one thing you haven't answered me." Brock said. "Bill stopped your virus from reproducing, right?" Ash nodded. "Can he create an antidote to turn you back to normal?" As the question left his lips, Brock knew he hit a nerve. Ash's expression darkened and he looked at his feet. "Ash?"

"No." Ash said simply, closing his eyes. "Not in this lifetime anyway. Not without lots of support and funding. Even then it's skeptical at best."

"I'm sorry, Ash." Brock said quietly.

"I know." The young man sighed. "I'm coming to terms with it, but…it's still painful to think about. I mean…my training career is over. No more leagues, no more tournaments, no more contests. I can't exactly show my face in public. I'm on Violet Isle's most wanted list." He started to twiddle his thumbs. "Being a Pokemon trainer was my life. I always thought becoming a Pokemon Master was in my future. All I have to look forward to now is being an outcast on the run."

"Ash…" Brock said his name weakly, no knowing how to respond.

"And as much as seeing you guys has lifted my spirits, it's also crushing my soul. Because I know that eventually, I'm going to have to leave you again." Brock opened his mouth to respond when he heard a groan from the bed. Both boys turned to see Misty rolling around a bit. Both boys shot to their feet quickly. Misty groaned again before finally settling on her side and opening her eyes.

"Ughh…my head is killing me. This must be what Psyduck feels like…" Her vision focused on Brock's smiling face. "Brock? What's going on?" Misty asked sleepily, her eyes only half-opened. She seemed to suddenly realize she was in a bed. "Where are we? Has Team Rocket given us beds?"

"Misty, were not Team Rocket's prisioners anymore. We're in a hotel room now. We were rescued, remember?" Brock said happily.

"R-rescued?"

"By Ash." Brock said. Misty blinked twice, then her eyes shot wide open as the memories of the last several hours flooded back into her head. She sat straight up in bed, clutching her sheets.

"Ash!" She yelled happily. "Where is he?!" Brock pointed past her and Misty quickly whipped around to see Ash's smiling face. He ran one hand through his spiked hair and used the other to give her a weak wave.

"Hey, Misty." He said softly.

"ASH!" The girl squealed happily, and bolted straight up. She jumped out of the bed and ran into his arms, hugging him tightly. Ash was caught off guard, but only slightly. As he eased into the embrace, he slid his arms around her and embraced her back. "Oh G-God….It's really you. It's really, really you." Her voice was partially muffled by his shirt as she dug her face into his shoulder. "I-I thought…I thought I'd never see you again. I thought I'd never be able to…to…" Her words choked in the back of her throat.

"Shhh…" Ash tried to calm her down by rubbing her back. "It's all right. It's okay now." Ash said.

"What?!" Misty pulled away angrily. Ash's eyebrows shot up in surprise. "No, it's not all right!" She drew her arm back, curled her hand into a fist, and decked Ash in the stomach.

"Oof!" He groaned, air rushing from his lungs. It hadn't really hurt, but it was so unexpected, Ash wasn't able to brace himself for the hit. He looked into her eyes with confused surprise and she glared right back at him, weeks worth of pent-up frustration dancing around in her eyes.

"What the hell is wrong with you?" Misty yelled at him. "Running away from us without saying goodbye? Running away from _ME_?" She slammed her fist on his chest repeatedly, not especially powerful hits, but angry ones nonetheless. Ash was prepared for the reaction and he managed to keep stoic while she pounded on him. Ash didn't say anything; he figured he probably deserved it. "Don't you realize how much you've pain caused us? How much trauma?" She started to cry and buried her face into his chest. Her hits became softer and softer, losing their anger and, subsequently, their power. Misty's voice softened to a whisper. "Don't you realize what you've done to me?"

"Sorry." Was all Ash could muster up the energy to say. He looked up at Brock who just shrugged and nodded. Ash sighed. "I'm really sorry."

"I-I just wanted to see you." She cried. Her fist tightened around his shirt as she held onto it like it was all that was holding her up. "But you left. You left without even seeing me. How-how could you?" Her voice lacked the accusing tone of her words, but Ash felt himself wanting to tear up anyway. "I only wanted to see you again! Why didn't you let me have that?"

Ash could think of several things to say back, but wisely kept his mouth shut and let her rant at him. He owed her at least that much at least. Brock sighed and left the two of them there and walked out onto the balcony. James took the hint and disappeared from the room, walking into the common area and closing the door behind him.

Ash continued to cradle Misty as she sobbed into his shirt. The awkward position only lasted for a few minutes, but it felt like several hours for Ash. He would normally enjoy his best friend's close proximity, but the guilt was gnawing away at him that the tears streaming down her face were because of him.

He hoped they would get a chance to continue talking, but it wasn't to be. Misty's cried eventually died out and she let go of Ash's shirt, but it turned out to be because she passed back out into sleep. It was most likely because of the mental and emotional exhaustion. Ash sighed to himself, picked her up, and laid her back on the bed. Their conversation would have to be postponed for later. He looked down at her sleeping form and his heart started to throb in pain. He couldn't begin to imagine what he had put her through for the last few weeks.

Even though he felt unable to take his eyes of her sleeping form, Ash finally forced himself to tear himself away from her bedside. If he stayed any longer, it felt like his heart might try to jump into his stomach to commit suicide. Slowly and quietly, he snuck out onto the balcony.

Brock was still out there, leaning against the railing. He looked back at Ash for a second, and then turned back around to stare over the skyline of Pearl City. Ash closed the sliding glass door and walked over next to him, leaning against the railing in a similar fashion. It was a grey, dreary day out and it looked like it would soon rain.

"How did it go?" Brock asked. He already knew the answer; Ash's face had told him everything. The younger boy was silent for a bit before answering.

"She fell back asleep." He said simply. "She must be exhausted."

"I don't blame her." Brock said. "I feel ready to fall asleep any moment myself."

"Yeah. I don't blame her either." Ash said softly. Brock finally turned his head to the side to look at his friend. His expression was marred with concern and guilt. Brock could barely call his friend a kid anymore; after everything he had been through, he pretty much had a crash course in maturity. But right now, in his vulnerable state, Brock could see the same boy he remembered meeting so many years ago. The one with an outward sense of cocky confidence, but with an inner emotional side that showed his endless compassion.

Ash noticed he was being stared at and turned to face Brock. Their gazes met, and Ash turned away in embarrassment. Brock cocked his head to the side. "Ash? Why do you keep turning away from me?"

Ash didn't respond at first, but eventually turned back toward his friend. His expression soured as he stared Brock in the face. "It's your…your…" he sighed. "Fuck, man; your eye. Look what those bastards did to you…"

"Ah." Brock said with a nod. "I should have guessed. I sort of suspected it."

"I mean…they did this to get to me." Ash sighed. He closed his eyes tightly. "I am so sorry, Brock. It's my fault. Giovanni did this so he could attract my attention."

_So that's it._ Brock thought. "Ash, this isn't your fault."

"I thought that by leaving, I would be helping you guys...keeping you from harm. But if I had stayed, I may have been able to protect you."

"Ash, listen to me." Brock grabbed the shorter man's shoulders. "You didn't do this. This is all Team Rocket. You couldn't control it any more than you could control what happened to you." Ash opened his eyes, but kept them pointed at the ground.

"I put you guys in danger. I didn't even let you know what I was doing."

"It was our decision to track you down." Brock spoke up.

"They would have found you no matter what you did."

"You don't know that Team Rocket wouldn't have gone for us just because we were there the day that transformed you."

"But still…"

"This is Team Rocket's fault. No one else's." Brock said finitely. "Especially not yours. Besides," Brock's tone lightened and he smiled. "It's really not that bad, now that the pain has subsided. My vision isn't hampered that much. My depth perception isn't worth a Machop in Pokemon Tower, but besides that it's fine. And even you have to admit that I look pretty badass." He grinned from ear to ear. "Chicks are going to dig the eye patch."

Ash laughed at this, a genuine laugh, like the ones he used to have before this all started. He couldn't remember the last time he laughed this hard. _Good old girl-crazy Brock. _It felt uncommonly good, like he was back journeying with his friends. Back in the carefree days before his life changed. Unfortunately, the moment of happiness only made the shift back into reality that much harsher.

"Thanks Brock. I needed that." He smiled. "I really owe you so much. I mean, you've been through a lot on my account. You've been the best friend a guy could have." At this, it was Brock's turn to grow embarrassed. He turned away and looked over the railing.

"I have a confession to make." He said, his voice shaky. "I'm not the good friend you seem to think I am. All this-the whole mission to find you and rescue you-was Misty's idea. I just tagged along. In all honesty, I was willing to accept that you were gone. I was ready to leave you for dead. I only came along because I was worried about Misty." He sighed and closed his eyes. "I gave up on you, Ash. That's not what best friends do."

Ash balked at Brock's words. Not because of what he said; this was what he had expected his friends to do. He was shocked that Brock felt so bad about it. Ash straightened and put his hand on Brock's back, comforting him like he had done back to Ash earlier.

"Brock." Ash spoke up softly. "I told you to give up on me, remember? I said so in my letter. I didn't _want_ you guys to come after me. And I know how headstrong Misty can be, yet you stayed by her. Just like I asked you to do that day in the jail cell." The memory of that day up to the torturous operation was jumbled in his mind, but Ash could recall that much. "You respected my every wish, Brock. I don't see how much of a better friend you could be."

Brock turned to Ash. His eyes were slightly wet. "You mean that?" He asked.

"Every word." Ash smiled softly.

"You have no idea how much weight that lifts off my shoulders." Brock said with a little laugh. "Oh, man…" They both stared off into the grey sky in front of them, the silence filling the air around them. "I missed you, Ash. You're like a younger brother to me, you know? When we lost you…" Brock bit his lip. "It felt like a death in the family. I had lost a brother and a close friend." He couldn't hold back the tears any longer and Brock started to choke, trying to hide the sobbing sounds. All the emotion he had been holding back for Misty's sake was finally freed. Teardrops hit the railing that Brock was gripping. "I really missed you."

"I missed you too, Brock." Ash said softly. "You've been the older brother I never had. You've even been the father I never had." Now it was Ash's turn to fight tears. "It's been rough without you guys. Really rough. I am really glad to see you again."

They stood there, unmoving for a few minutes before Brock out an arm around Ash's shoulders and gave him a hug. Ash put his arms around the larger man and hugged him back. Both men sniffed loudly, trying to stop the teardrops from falling. They didn't stay embraced for long and eventually broke away.

Brock wiped his eyes and then laughed at the wet spots on the back of his hand. "Look. I-It's started to rain."

"Yeah." Ash responded, wiping his own eyes. "I guess it has." They continued to stare out over the rail at the high-rise buildings until Brock spoke up again. His voice was unsteady and he had to cough several times to clear his throat.

"Uh…you know, I'm not the only one who missed you and was worried about you." He said, trying to sound nonchalant. "Misty was a real wreck ever since the incident. She was thinking about you non-stop. You were on her mind every minute of the day." His fingers tapped the railing lightly. "I don't wish to see her as depressed as she was these last few weeks ever again, and I know you wouldn't want to see what she was like most of all. But I almost wish you _could_ see it, because then you could see how badly she missed you. You could see how much she cares for you."

Ash was stoically silent for a while, ignoring Brock's furtive glances over his way. Finally, Ash spoke up, his voice uneven. "…Is that your subtle way of hinting that I should tell her how I feel?"

"Look, man." Brock turned to face him. "If you really want to know how she feels about you, then there won't be a better time than this." Ash turned to him, a fake grin plastered on his face.

"Good idea Brock! That way, I can take advantage of the fact that she's emotionally weak and vulnerable! Why, that doesn't sound creepy or manipulative at all!" The smile vanished from his face and he turned back to the skyline.

"Smartass." Brock sighed.

"Now isn't the right time." Ash said simply.

"You always say that." Brock muttered.

"After everything that's happened…and with everything that has yet to happen…she doesn't need this on top of everything else."

"But what if she-"

"What if she _what_, Brock? Says she feels the same?" Ash glared at him. "Brock, she just reunited with me after thinking I was dead and gone. You saw her in there. She may be mad at me right now, but I don't think she wants to push me away. If I tell her…everything…how do I know she's going to be sincere and not just placate me so that I won't leave?" He shook his head violently. "Now is definitely not the right time." _And I don't think there will ever be a right time. Not anymore._

"It's your decision, buddy. But I think you're missing a perfect opportunity."

"I'll take that chance. I need friends right now, and I don't want to jeopardize that." Ash straightened. "Besides, it's not so bad. I've hidden it for this long. I've kind of gotten used to it."

"Even after everything that's happened, deep down, you're just a child." Brock sighed. "But I guess I should be thankful that the real Ash is still there, under that tough exterior." Brock stretched his arms and yawned.

"Tired?" Ash asked.

"A little bit." Brock nodded. "I should get some sleep."

"Yeah, because we're not staying longer than a day here. I feel uneasy driving around in the mayor's car. I know the theft of one car of his is the least of the police's worries right now, but we don't need any more extra attention than we already have."

"Fair enough." Brock nodded. "I'm going to the other room, then. James is sleeping on the couch, right?" Ash nodded. "So you have the other twin bed. Are you going to get some sleep?"

"Nah." Ash said. "I think I'll…um…er…"

"Watch over Misty?" Brock asked, smiling slyly. Ash looked away, his teal skin blushing slightly. "I understand." Brock went for the balcony door, then stopped and turned to Ash. "It's good to have you back, Ash."

"Good to be back." Ash smiled at him. Brock smiled back then went back into the building. The smile dropped off Ash's face and he sighed, leaning back down on the railing. The grey clouds in the sky hung over the city like a bad omen. _For however short my time being back is._

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When Misty finally woke up from her peaceful slumber, she realized she was alone in a large bed. Someone had tucked her under the sheets this time. The memories returned to her quicker this time and her eyes raced around the dark room. All the curtains had been pulled shut and it was almost like it was already night time. She searched for something, but couldn't find it. She sat up worriedly.

Her heart raced a million miles a minute. Where was Ash? He was here when she fell asleep. She was practically in his arms. _Where did he go? He didn't leave again, did he?_ Her heart jumped into her throat as she remembered all the yelling she did. Had she scared him off? She didn't know if she could take it if that was true.

"Ash?" She whispered into the darkness, her voice revealing her fear. Her hand gripped the top of the blankets. She heard the creak of a chair in a shadowy corner.

"I'm here." Ash said, walking out of the darkness. He moved close to her and flicked on a desk lamp near her bed. He sat down next to her on the bed and put his hand on hers. "I'm still here." Misty let out a breath she wasn't aware she had been holding. She squeezed his hand reassuringly. Ash took a deep breath. "I'm sorry about everything, Misty. I'm really sorry. I shouldn't have left you like that."

"It's okay Ash." Misty said, smiling softly. "I understand. I've been thinking about it and I truly understand." She blushed a little. "I'm sorry too. I shouldn't have yelled at you like that last night. I really lost control."

"It's fine." Ash waved off her concern. "I deserved it."

"No you didn't." Misty shook her head. "When you left, you were thinking only about Brock and me. I can't be mad about that." Ash looked up into Misty's eyes. She really was being sincere.

"So you forgive me?" Ash smiled sheepishly. Misty grinned.

"A thousand times over, Ash."

"Whew. That feels like a weight off my shoulders." Ash said, exhaling. "I didn't want you to hate me."

"I can't hate you, Ash." Misty said, squeezing his hand again. "You're my best friend."

"…Even though I broke our promise?" Ash asked weakly, touching on the topic he was most scared to talk about.

"I forgive you for that too." She said. "Besides, it's not like the promise is over forever. We can still go back to it, right?" She asked. Ash didn't respond and stared down at the floor. A sense of dread washed over Misty like a wave of cold water. It chilled her to the bone. "What is it, Ash?"

"I…" Ash stuttered his words, unsure if he would be able to continue. "I've changed Misty. I'm not the boy you knew. I've done some bad things. Horrible things."

"Ash…" Misty began, but he started speaking again before she could finish.

"I…I've killed a lot of people." He said softly. He could feel Misty cringe when he said that. He closed his eyes tightly. She had a right to know. "Sometimes out of necessity, sometimes out of…sometimes for other reasons. But there is blood on my hands. Someone once told me that once you lose your innocence, you can never get it back." He looked up at her, guilt in his eyes. "I'm not the Ash you remember, Misty. I'm tainted."

"That's not true!" Misty almost shouted. "You're still Ash to me!" Her mind flickered back to watching the footage of him slicing another man's throat on the news. It has shocked her and scared her at the time, but looking into Ash's crimson eyes right now told her that despite what he said, this was still the Ash she knew. The Ash she cared for. "I don't care what you've done. I care about who you are."

"I don't think you'll like what I've become." Ash looked at his feet again.

"Ash, you risked your life to break into a Rocket hideout and save me and Brock. You fought against insurmountable odds and never gave up." She smiled at him. "That sounds like the Ash I knew." He didn't look up, but he didn't fight her point either. "Our promise isn't over. As long as it's you and me, it'll be fine." Misty said, and then paused. A question had been lingering on her mind, the question she had wanted to ask him back in the hospital room, and she had to ask it now, lest she lose him again. She took a deep breath, gathered her courage, and opened her mouth. "Ash? Why did you ask me to make that promise?"

"What?" Ash asked in confusion, finally looking back up at her. They had never really discussed the promise before. They had always just accepted that it happened. His mind flickered back to one of his only memories left perfectly intact. "You're my best friend, Misty. You know that."

"Yeah, but you didn't ask the same thing of Brock. Or Tracy, or May or anyone else you've traveled with. Just me." She cocked her head to the side. "Why?"

"Well, Brock has his family, and May has her career and…." Ash stumbled through his explanation. The words weren't true at all and he could tell Misty wasn't buying it. He sighed and decided to tell the truth Or most of the truth. "Well, really…you're the only person I would want to travel forever with. I mean, Brock is a great friend, and Tracy is a funny guy, and May is fun to be around…but you're the only person who really gets me, you know?" He would have blushed if his teal-pigmented skin allowed it. "If there's only one person I could take with me onto a deserted island…it would be you." He bit his lip, hoping he didn't reveal too much.

Misty's heart was leaping into her throat, but she managed to hide it behind a guise of sarcasm. "Awww! Ash Ketchum is showing his mushy side." She smiled smarmily. Ash took on a look of annoyance. He sure as hell wasn't going to be the only person making confessions around here, that's for sure.

"Well, how about you, Misty?" Ash asked, crossing his arms. Misty was so busy swimming in her own personal happiness, the question shocked her and she nearly jumped up into the air.

"Me?" She squeaked.

"Yeah…you were very eager to say yes to my proposal." Ash cocked his head to one side. This was something that had be personally gnawing at him since they made the promise a year or so ago. "Why did you agree so quickly?"

"W-well, I…I didn't want to disappoint you…" Misty began, but Ash narrowed his eyes at her and Misty knew she wasn't making up a good story, or managing to hide the fact she was making it up very well. "All right, fine." She huffed and spilled out the next few sentences as fast as she could. "I said yes because you are the closest thing I have to family. I would rather be with you then anyone else and I was always kind of hoping you would ask me that. Happy?"

"Quite." Ash said with a smile. His heart warmed up significantly, but died back down quickly. The smile slowly faded from his face. "I miss those carefree days."

Misty bit her lip. Something was really wrong and she didn't like it. "We can still have that, you know. Unless…" He eyes widened and she held her hand to her mouth. "Oh my God. The virus! I can't believe I forgot! You're dying, aren't you!?" Tears welled up at her eyes. "Oh, please don't say it, Ash. Please…"

"Misty!" Ash grabbed hold of her hand again and squeezed it. "I'm not dying. The virus has been neutralized. Bill, you remember Bill, has been working with us. My genes are obviously still altered, but I'm not going to regress any further."

"Really?" Misty asked, a sigh of relief on her breath. Ash nodded. Misty closed her eyes and laid her head back against the wall. "Thank God. I was so scared for a second that I was going to lose you."

Ash chose not to respond to that question directly. "I'm not dying from the virus." Ash said vaguely.

"Does that mean…there's a cure?" Misty asked hopefully. Ash rubbed the back of his head. He wanted to lie to her, but knew that he shouldn't.

"It's unlikely." Ash said.

"Oh." Misty said, her hopefulness dying back down.

"So I can't really keep adventuring with you. That's why I've broken the promise for good." Ash looked her in the eyes, despite his overwhelming urge to tear his gaze away. "This is who I am from now on."

"But I don't think any less of you, you know that already. Even if we can't adventure together because of…because of…" She motioned to his teal skin. "We can still stay together."

"No, Misty. We can't." Ash closed his eyes.

"WHAT? Why not?"

"Misty, look at me. I'm a danger to everyone. Including you."

"What is that supposed to mean?" She was seething with indignant rage now.

"It means I'm not staying with you guys." Ash said. "Once I get you somewhere safe, I'm going away again." The words wrenched at his heart and the look of angry sorrow in Misty's eyes only made him feel even worse about his decision. But he had no choice. This had to be done. "If you stay by me, you're going to be outcasts. Pariahs. Outlaws. Always scared of your own shadow. I mean, I'm hunted by the police, Team Rocket, and only God knows how many vigilante groups out there. Do you really want that?"

"You're my best friend, you idiot!" Misty growled at him. "Don't you understand what that means? It means I want to stay by your side! I made a promise to you that I would do just that! Doesn't that mean **anything** to you?"

"You're _my_ best friend too! And that means I want to keep you safe above all else!" Ash wished she would just concede to his point. If he kept arguing about this, he might eventually break down. "I couldn't let you come along with me in good conscience. If something happened to you because of me, I'd never forgive myself! That's why I need to leave you somewhere safe!"

"Yeah, because leaving us behind really worked out last time." She hissed at him. The way Ash flinched, she knew she had hit a sensitive nerve. Part of her felt like scum for striking at his weak points, but this was important. She needed him to see what she was saying.

"It doesn't matter." Ash said angrily, getting up from the bed. Misty felt her heart plummet into the depths of her stomach as he walked a few steps away from her. "I've made up my mind. You're not coming along with me and that's final."

"So you are just going to leave me again, is that it?" Misty cried out. "I have to watch you disappear from my life twice?" Her hands clenched into fists and began to shake uncontrollably. "Fuck you, Ash Ketchum!" She hissed out loud. Ash cringed at her profane words. "Since when do you get to make my decisions for me? I make my own choices! If I want to stay by your side, I'm doing it!"

"No, Misty. You're not."

"Give me one good reason." She demanded. "Give me one damn good reason." Something broke in Ash's mind, and he spun toward her.

"I can't give you the life you deserve!" He almost yelled, emotion pouring out. Misty leaned back in surprise, not suspecting this at all. "I'm going to be in constant danger…always running from someone or something. You should have a peaceful life where you can live in a big house on a hill like you always told me you wanted. You should be with someone who will give you the love you need; someone who you can grow old with…someone who you can have a family with. Staying with me means giving all that up." Ash hung his head down. "Being with me isn't the life you deserve."

Misty blinked a few times in shock before tears started to well up in her eyes. She wiped her tears with her sleeve. "Idiot…" She murmured, her voice getting choked in her throat. "Being _without_ you isn't the life I _want_!" Her words were split up unevenly, coming out in between sobs. "Dammit, Ash, don't you get it? _You're_ the one I want to grow old with! _You're_ the one I want to get that big house with! _You're_ the one I want to have a fam-" She caught herself and swallowed the words on the tip of her tongue. "See, you're making me cry and I'm saying stuff I don't…I mean, I never…I…"

"Misty, is this why you followed me around?" Ash interrupted her rambling. His original idea of trying to push her away went out the window. He needed to know this now. "Is that why you accepted my offer?"

She nodded slowly. "I just hoped that even after we journeyed around for a while, we would have been around each other enough to just stay together forever. That way, I wouldn't have to worry about another girl snatching you away from me and…and I would never have to tell you how I truly felt." Her words were getting quieter. She couldn't stop herself now. She had to get everything off her chest. She felt like if she held it in any longer, her heart would explode.

"How you truly felt?" Ash asked. Deep inside, he had an idea where this was going, but he needed to hear her say it. His heart did calisthenics in his chest.

"Yes. I've been hiding it for so long. I…I never knew how to say it, or even if I ever could say it. I mean, how do you tell your best friend you've fallen in love with him?" Ash felt like he died and was resurrected. He couldn't believe what he just heard. Even though he hoped and hoped, he never expected that Misty would actually return his feelings. He tried to hide his intense joy so Misty could finish what she was saying. She started to sob again, but kept talking. "At first, I couldn't believe my feelings. I couldn't imagine ever falling in love with such a stubborn, bratty kid." She sniffed. "But soon I realized that I couldn't imagine ever falling in love with anyone else. All those times when you tried to comfort me when I was sad, all I wanted was for you to pull me in your arms and…and…and hold me close." Her face was turning a bright crimson shade, making the tears on her cheeks stand out. "And when I left to go maintain my gym, I realized just how much you meant to me and just how lonely I was without you. But I could never tell you…because I didn't want to ruin our friendship."

"Misty, you could never ruin our friendship." It was an uphill battle just to keep his voice steady.

"I can change it. You can't tell me that me telling you this doesn't change your opinion of me and our relationship."

"You're right." Ash agreed, his mind busily processing all this new information. "It changes everything."

"You see?" she cried out. "I loved what we had as kids. That simple friendship we shared. All I wanted was for us to be able to have that for as long as possible. Now we can never go back to that. Talk about innocence lost." He words were getting softer and softer. "Our friendship is all I ever had to keep me going. Now I don't even have that." She put her head in her hands.

Ash knew it was time for action. He walked over and sat back down on the bed. He reached over, grabbed her wrists and gently pulled them away from her face. Slowly, Misty raised her head, tears in her eyes, scared to look Ash in the face. Swiftly, Ash moved in and pressed his lips against hers. Her eyes widened in shock at his action. The kiss was chaste and quick, but it was enough to send sparks though both of their bodies. Ash pulled away as quickly as he had moved in, waiting for her reaction. Misty slowly touched her lips with her fingers. Her eyes never left his.

"Ash Ketchum, I swear to God, if you only did that to comfort me, I will…"

"I love you." Ash said simply, cutting her off. All sounds ceased in Misty's mouth. Her throat felt unnaturally dry. "I know it took me a while to realize it, but I always was a dense kid, right?" Normally his self-depreciating jokes would have gotten a giggle from Misty, but she was in too much awe to react. "When you left me to go home to your gym, it hurt. I thought about you every day. I couldn't figure out why I missed you so badly, but with Brock and May's help, I soon figured it out. It's because I had fallen for you too." Misty's mouth opened and closed some more, unable to form the myriad of words that were swimming around in her head. She had trouble wrapping her mind around everything that just happened. New tears formed in her eyes as she finally managed to push some more word out.

"Please tell me you aren't just placating me, Ash. If you are, I will die right here."

"I can't have that." Ash smiled. "I'm telling you the truth. The real reason I wanted to make that promise with you is because I never wanted you to leave me again. Ever."

"Me too." Misty said, her voice a whisper. Her lower lip quivered. "Oh, Ash…" She burst out from under the covers and jumped into his arms. Ash happily accepted her body and wrapped his arms around her. Her loving embrace felt like a healing slave to all of his wounds and all the pain he had suffered from the ordeal dissipated. "Ash, Ash, Ash. I love you."

"I love you too, Misty." Ash said. It felt so good to say it out loud. He blinked back some tears forming in his own eyes. "I love you so much." The two stayed in their embrace for a few long moments, unwilling, or perhaps unable, to let one another go. Eventually Misty pushed herself away from Ash. He was slightly disconcerted at the lack of body warmth, but Misty closed the gap between them again quickly, this time putting her hands on his cheeks and pushing her lips against his. Ash closed his eyes and accepted her kiss. She made a strangled noise against his mouth and her hands slipped from his face around the back of his neck. Ash put his hand around her back, supporting her against him.

Ash could feel the blood rushing from his head and he was losing the ability to support himself upright. He slowly tipped forward and laid Misty back down on the bed, his body hovering above hers. They never broke the electric kiss between them.

Ash's eyes opened in surprise when he felt Misty's lips open and her tongue slip out trying to find a way into Ash's mouth. It wasn't something he had expected from Misty, but he wasn't about to complain about her forwardness. He opened his own mouth and closed his eyes, getting lost in their kiss again. A fog started to form over his mind, making him lose touch with reality. Red hot lust rushed to the forefront of his mind and the small sounds coming from the girl beneath him was doing nothing to combat it.

Ash pulled away from Misty's mouth suddenly, leaving her gasping for air. She lifted her head of the pillow, trying to find where her comfort went without opening her eyes. Ash quickly moved his head to the side and planted kisses along her jaw. Misty inhaled sharply, then let the breath out with a shiver. Ash trailed his kisses down her neck, lightly biting at her skin, like he always imagined doing. Misty's breathing became hurried and erratic as her hands clung to the back Ash's shirt. His sharp teeth left several marks on her neck, but didn't manage to pierce the skin. Ash reached up and pulled the hair-tie out of Misty's hair, allowing the orange locks to fall to her shoulders.

Before he even knew what he was doing, Ash was tugging at the redhead's suspenders. He growled slightly and pulled Misty's hands off of him. Misty went without protest, letting her arms fall to the bed harmlessly. Ash tugged her suspenders off forcefully and Misty didn't fight it. Once both suspenders were lying on the bed uselessly, Ash grabbed Misty's wrists and lifted her arms above her head. Once again, the girl didn't offer any resistance. Ash ran his hands along Misty's exposed torso, savoring the feel of her smooth skin. Misty whimpered lightly, and it only propelled Ash further. He used his legs push hers apart, so he was lying between them. He pushed himself against her and Misty gasped loudly, feeling the evidence of his frenzied lust. She bit her lip and lifted her legs up, wrapping them around his hips. Ash let out a primal grunt and ran his hands up to her yellow shirt, slipping his hands under the flimsy material. Misty's breathing got quicker as his fingertips glided along her skin until they hit the edge of her bra. He moved against her again and Misty moaned hazily.

"Ash…" She whispered his name while turning her head to the side, a deep blush filling her face. Her voice jolted Ash enough to allow him to peer through the fog in his mind. He pushed his Pokemon urges back and took control of his mind again.

_Oh my God!_ Ash thought in horror. _What was I about to do?_ He felt extremely dirty. Just a few hours ago, he had told Brock how he wasn't going to take advantage of Misty's emotional state and that was what he was about to do. He couldn't just chalk it up to his Pokemon side taking over either, although that was the main reason. He couldn't deny that he wanted this; he had wanted to do this for years now and it had been the subject of many of his dreams. But this was Misty. He loved her. He wasn't going to do this if she didn't wanted to and he certainly wasn't going to let his Pokemon side be in control if and when it happened.

Ash quickly withdrew his hands and sat straight up on his knees. Misty groaned from the lack of contact, hoping he was just teasing her. When it was clear he wasn't returning, she turned toward him in confusion. Her legs uncurled from around him and fell to the bed. She looked into his eyes and saw the terror therein. She was suddenly very fearful that he had changed his mind. _Did I do something wrong? Does he not want me?_ "Ash?" She asked weakly, her voice cracking.

"Misty…I…" Ash gulped. She had a look of fear in her eyes. _Oh, God! She's scared of me! I knew it! I let my animal side take over and now she's scared of me! _"Misty, I'm sorry. I'm so sorry."

"Sorry?" She asked, wishing she could hide. _He's sorry about doing this? Why? What did I do?_

"I didn't mean to push this on you." Ash said quickly, looking away. He stumbled through his next sentences hurriedly, worried that his voice would give out at any moment. "I don't want this if you're not ready. I mean, I do want this. I really, really do, but I don't want you to have to do this unless you want. I was being selfish about my needs and I'm sorry. I'll stop right now if you don't want to…" He was cut off as Misty reached up and grabbed the sides of his face, forcing him to look her in the eyes. The fear was gone, replaced with what seemed like annoyance. But beyond that, Ash could see a hint of relief and, he hoped, a lust of her own.

"Ash Ketchum, if you even think about stopping now, I will find my mallet and beat you senseless." Her voice was both serious and playful and it brought a grin to Ash's face. That was the Misty he knew, all right, and he wouldn't have it any other way.

"You won't need it anymore, I promise." Ash said with a smile and leaned in to kiss her. Misty tugged on his face to bring him close quicker. As their lips met, she wrapped her legs around his waist again. Ash felt her gyrate against him and they both moaned into each other's mouths. Ash felt the familiar fog try to rise again, but he pushed it away forcefully. He had waited so long for this moment and he wanted to be in control so he could enjoy every last moment.

"Is this your first time?" Misty asked suddenly, not really sure if she wanted to know the answer. Ash nodded in response.

"You?" He asked. Misty nodded as well. "Then I'll take it slow."

"Not too slow." Misty mumbled under her breath. Ash grinned and returned to her yellow shirt, lifting it up slowly and revealing her brassier. He reached up and unclasped the mechanism on the front, popping it open and revealing her breasts to him. Ash's eyes were glued to her chest, savoring the sight. Misty flushed and wriggled in place, uncomfortable with the sudden rapt attention and cold air.

"Sorry." Ash said sheepishly upon noticing her discomfort. He brought his hands to her chest and explored the recently uncovered areas of her body. Misty closed her eyes and let out soft, contented purrs. "You're beautiful."

"Flatterer." She said in a breathy voice. It only propelled Ash to go further. She pulled her shirt off over her head and discarded it quickly. She felt Ash's warm breath on her skin where one hand used to be and she sighed, grabbing onto the hair on the back of his head and holding him in place. Ash's now free right hand began to work at her shorts. He stopped suddenly and looked up at her. "Do you want me to turn out the lights?"

"No." Misty shook her head. "I want to be able to see you."

"Good." Ash grinned. "Me too." He felt her tug at his shirt, trying to pull it over his head and he helped her remove the garment, discarding it next to Misty's shirt. She ran a hand along his chest, marveling at how muscular he had become. She began to trace one of the blue spots on his body with a finger. "I don't freak you out, do I?" Ash asked.

"What do you mean?"

"Well…the blue-green skin and the spots and the red eyes…you know, everything."

"Of course not." Misty said, furrowing her brow. "I love you. I don't care what color your skin is."

"Back at the Pokecenter all those weeks ago…you said…"

"Oh, Ash." Misty shook her head. "You think after everything that's happened, I would still feel that way? I don't, I couldn't, especially not about you." To prove her point, Misty leaned up and kissed Ash's chest on one of his blue triangles. "Just because you're part Pokemon doesn't make you any less of a man to me, Ash."

"You mean that?"

"I do." Misty smiled slyly. "Of course, if you wanted to prove that you're just as much a man, I wouldn't object."

"Oh, really?" Ash said with a smile, raising one eyebrow. "I think Brock's been a bad influence on you."

"How do you know this isn't who I really am, and I've just been hiding my inner vixen from you?"

"Only one way to find out." Ash declared and moved his head back down to her shoulder, kissing and nibbling her skin lightly. His hands worked deftly at her shorts and Misty arched her back to press her bare chest against his. Ash groaned from the warm contact and put one hand under her back to support her.

"No need to rush though." Misty said, almost breathlessly. "You can keep kissing if you want to."

"That's the idea." Ash said, his words muffled by her skin. He undid the button to her shorts and pulled down the zipper. "I was thinking about exploring your entire body that way."

"My entire body?" Misty asked weakly.

"Every last inch." Ash confirmed. He began to pull at the edges of her jean shorts to try and pull them down.

_Oh dear God._ Misty's mind reeled and she closed her eyes again. She wiggled her hips to help Ash with removing her shorts. "You better keep the promise." She whispered.

"I intend to." Ash said smugly and began to trail his kisses down from her shoulder, across her chest and down her stomach. Misty inhaled sharply and let the pleasure she had resigned herself into believing would never come wash over her body like the waves of the ocean.

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Giovanni sat in his leather chair, rapping his fingers against the wooden desk in front of him. He was now staying in a small hideout in Diamond City. It was almost too insignificant to warrant his presence, but there is one person in particular that he had located here that he wanted to speak to.

He had suffered many setbacks already, and most of them came from underestimating his opponents. It hardly mattered now that he held the final puzzle piece, but he was sick and tired of the Ketchum experiment causing havoc. It was a matter of personal pride.

Giovanni didn't need him or his former henchman anymore, but he couldn't just let them go. They still posed a threat to his operation and he wasn't going to let them get in the way again. It would only be another week at most before he would be able to execute the final stage of Project 66. If he couldn't kill them, he had to at least keep them occupied. He reached into his shirt pocket and pulled out a cigar before lighting it and putting it in his mouth. Several rings of smoke puffed out into the sir in front of him.

There was a knocking at the door at the far end of the room. "Enter." Giovanni said in a raspy voice. The door opened slowly and Captain Jessie walked in, her head down.

"You called for me, sir?" She asked weakly. Giovanni smiled. It was almost too easy to break certain toys.

"Indeed." Giovanni said gruffly. "I have a new mission for you." He reached onto a pile of cluttered letters on his desk and held up a sheet of paper. He held it out and Jessie walked up to the desk and took the paper from him. She scanned the series of numbers before looking up at the Boss.

"What is…?"

"Latitude and longitude coordinates." He said. "It's the location of a hotel where a homing beacon is being activated in Pearl City. I want you to go there with the largest Rocket squad you can assemble at this outpost. Go to the hotel and kill everyone."

"Sir?" Jessie asked, raising an eyebrow.

"There is one person I would especially like to see you kill." Giovanni said with a smile. "You may have some trouble, but I think you can handle it." Jessie's eyes widened as she realized who he was talking about.

"Sir...wouldn't that be a better job for Cassandra or Captain Avarice?" She mumbled unhappily.

"Maybe, but they are otherwise detained. I chose you for this mission because I don't think you will let me down."

"Sir, I…" Jessie looked down at his desk, her eyes shifting to the pile of letters. Her eyes caught one note that stood out and her eyes widened. Then she regained her posture and saluted smartly. "Yes, sir. I won't let you down."

"Good." Giovanni smiled. "You wouldn't want to let your dear dad down either, would you?"

"Of course not, sir." Jessie said. "May I be excused to prepare for the attack?"

"Yes." Giovanni nodded. "I want you to leave by tonight. Dismissed." He watched Jessie leave the room, a malicious smirk crossing his face. _Yes…I don't think you will let me down at all._ He fished his cell phone out of his pocket and dialed a series of seven numbers. He paused for a second, waiting for the voice on the other line to pick up. "Clayton. I want you to listen to me very carefully. I have a special assignment for you…"

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For the first time in an hour and a half, the hotel room was completely silent, save for some erratic breathing. Ash stared up at the ceiling, trying to get his heart rate back to normal. The euphoric state of bliss he was currently in was slowly dissolving, and he struggled to hold onto it. His first experience with Misty had been nothing short of exhilarating and he didn't want the feeling to leave. He was acutely aware of Misty's frantic gasping for air as well as his own. He tilted his head to look at her. Sweat was beaded all across her naked body and her orange hair was all in tangles. Ash couldn't help but grin wildly.

"I don't think Brock and James are still asleep." Ash joked. Misty lifted her head off the pillow and laughed lightly.

"No, I bet they're not." She smiled at Ash sweetly and moved closer to him, putting her head on his chest. "But I don't really care if we woke up the whole hotel. I wouldn't trade a minute of that for anything."

"I take it that means I was satisfactory." Ash grinned at her. Misty chuckled.

"More than satisfactory, Ash. You were amazing." She traced the lines of his chest with a finger. "How was I?'

"Perfect." Ash sighed. "Absolutely perfect."

"Flatterer." Misty laughed. "Not that I mind one bit, of course." She suddenly sat up and looked Ash right in the eyes. "But I think you and I need to have a little talk about those vines of yours."

"Vines?" Ash asked, trying to feign innocence. "What vines?"

"Oh, don't play that game with me, Ketchum." Misty put her hands down on Ash's shoulders so she could tower over him. She was trying hard to pass off a look of annoyance and seriousness, but she wasn't doing a very good job of it. "You know damn well what I mean. I'm talking about the vines that came out of your back and held my hands above my head." She pouted. "It wasn't fair at all, you having use of your hands like that when I didn't."

"Sorry, but I can't control them." Ash said, still grinning. "They kind of have a life of their own. Like an involuntary instinct."

"Yeah, sure." Misty said drolly, rolling her eyes. "I just think you've read one too many of Brock's 'magazines'." She narrowed her eyelids to slits. "Isn't a little sad that you just had sex for the first time and you've already developed a kinky side?"

"Oh is that so?" Ash asked. He reached up, grabbed Misty's upper arms and rolled to the side so he was now on top of her. Misty let out a squeak of surprise at the sudden change in dynamic. "Let's talk about you for a second then, shall we?"

"Me?" Misty asked weakly, trying to match Ash's innocence from earlier. Her accusatory tone was gone from her voice completely. She tried to move her hands, but Ash was pinning her arms to the bed.

"Yes, you. I seem to recall someone several times begging me to 'use the vines again'." Ash smiled mischievously. Misty blushed from the memory and looked away from him. "Isn't it a little sad that it was your first time as well, and you've already developed a fetish?"

"You're horrible." Misty said. She turned back to face him and she was grinning as wide as he was. The both fell into a laughing fit and Ash fell onto the bed, lying next to Misty. Their laughter died out shortly after and they continued to stare at the ceiling above them in silence. After several minutes went by, Ash spoke up again.

"You don't regret anything, do you?"

"What do you mean?" Misty asked.

"I mean, we didn't use any contraceptives or anything, and I still don't know what's going to happen to me now…"

"Ash, you idiot, what part of 'I wouldn't trade a minute of that for anything' didn't you understand? Twenty-four hours ago, I thought I was going to die in Rocket captivity without ever seeing you again and letting you know how I felt. I have absolutely no regrets." She turned to face him. "But you realize now that you're not going to be able to push me away. Not anymore."

"I realize that." Ash said softly. "I still don't think it's a good idea to keep you close by, but you've made it very clear that you get what you want."

"There's no place I feel safer than with you Ash." Misty said. "Besides, you still have a promise to keep to me. We're staying together. Forever."

"How is it you can make the most wonderful thing in the world sound like a threat?" Ash asked with a laugh. "That must be one of your specialties, Misty."

"Jerk." Misty pouted, punching Ash in the arm. Ash's giddy laughter died out and he turned serious again.

"I made a promise to James too." Ash said. "And a promise to myself. To stop Team Rocket from doing to anyone else what he did to me."

"I understand." Misty nodded. "And I will stand by your side the whole time. I'm sure Brock will too."

"Even though it will be dangerous?"

"Especially since it will be dangerous." Misty closed her eyes and cuddled close to him, putting her head on his shoulder. She draped on arm over his body. "I'm not going to lose you again."

"You won't." Ash said. "Because I'm not going to let you go." He kissed the top of her head. She sighed contentedly and gave his chest a quick squeeze. Ash rubbed his hand up and down Misty's bare back and then closed his eyes as well. Within minutes the lovers drifted off into a state of slumber. It was the first night in a long time that they could both sleep with a smile, because this time the nightmares did not come.

To Be Continued….

* * *

**Outro:** Oh. My. God. Did I really just write something that sappy? Jesus. Well, if someone manages to find my testicles, you know where to send them.

In all seriousness, I've been looking forwward to writing this chapter since the beginning of the Third Iteration. Firstly, because I actually do enjoy writing romance stories (don't tell anyone! My street cred will be ruined!). Secondly, and most importantly, after all the shit I put Ash through in the last 15 chapters, it was refreshing to let something good happen to him. People have asked me why I torture Ash so much and make him suffer in the story, and it's because it makes moments like this more poignant. After everything, I think he really deserves a little moment of happiness.

I know there's a lot of AAML shippers reading this story and I hope this moment loves up to your expectations. I like writing the Ash/Misty portions, and I think it's come to a logical conclusion. Of course, now that this is out of the way, I can start systematically killing off the main cast. Hahahahaha! Just kidding! ...or am I?

(Now to gain favor back with the manly violence lovers) Man, this chapter is really wussy. What's with all the hugging and crying? Next chapter, I'm going to have to make something blow up. With testosterone.

Thanks to everyone who keeps reading and please review and let me know what you thought of this decidedly different chapter. I look forward to hearing from you all. I would also like to give a special thanks to Lanky Nathan, who sent in my first piece of fanart: Ash evolving into Ivysaur. You can check it out here: http://img240.imageshack.us/img240/5458/ashyb6.jpg. He did an awesome job translating the character into art form. Damn, he looks pissed! Fanart for a piece of fanfiction; I am seriously flattered. Thanks Nathan!

Until next time:

- T.E.


	17. Abreaction

**Intro: **Wow...it's been a long time since the last chapter, hasn't it? I'm sorry this one took so long. I got stuck and had to rewrite this chapter several times. In fact, I came very close to scrapping the whole thing and taking a different route with the story. But I had set this chapter up and I had to go through with it to keep the story flow. I'm glad I took the extra time to rewrite it though, as I prefer this version to my first one. There are still a few pacing and timing issues, but I give it my seal of approval. Well, enough of my banter. Go ahead and enjoy another super-sized chapter. As we all know by now, I do not own Pokemon or it's characters.

* * *

**Hybrids: Sixth Iteration**

**Strand 3: Abreaction**

In the darkness of the room, they really looked peaceful. Brock smiled wistfully as he stared into the room through a crack in the door. It was as if the room was a protected bastion of hope against the cold grey world outside. He couldn't help but feel calm. Creepy and pretty shocked, but calm nonetheless.

Slowly, Brock opened the door the full way and slipped into the room. He tiptoed across the room to the side of the large bed. Ash was lying on his stomach, the covers pulled up to his waist. His eyes were closed and he was fast asleep. Brock grinned and grabbed the boy's bare shoulder lightly. He shook his several times until Ash's eyes opened.

"Wha? Brock?" Ash asked, confused.

"Rise and shine." Brock said. "Time to get up."

"What time is-" Ash's eyes shot open and he immediately flipped around. Last night wasn't a dream at all; a very naked Misty was lying next to him. She was mostly covered in blankets, but a bare arm and leg were sticking out. Ash suppressed a yell and struggled to get her completely covered up. He heard Brock chuckle and whipped his head around to meet the man's amused grin. "Do you fucking mind, Brock?"

"Sorry." Brock laughed and looked away while Ash finished covering Misty up. Ash waited until he was satisfied with Misty's condition before turning back around. He made sure he was properly covered below the waist as well.

"I hope you have a very good explanation for this." Ash growled.

"Funny, I was going to say the same to you." Brock's amused grin never left his face. If Ash's face was a normal pigment, it would have flushed red. "What happened to 'not the right time', huh?" Brock's grin faded. "Unless…you didn't actually tell her…"

"No, I did, I did." Ash assured him, holding his hands up quickly. "She kinda let it slip that she liked me and that got me to tell the truth and it snowballed from there." He glanced over at the snoozing redhead for a second before looking back. He contorted his face in an annoyed scowl when he saw Brock's grin was back. "If you say 'I told you so' or anything else along those lines, I will wipe that smug grin right off your face."

"I wouldn't dream of it." Brock laughed.

"You still haven't answered why you're in here." Ash said testily. "This is a pretty private bedroom arrangement."

"Hey, trust me man. If it was up to me, I'd never have come in here. I'm going to have to bathe my mind in bleach to erase the image of you in post-coital slumber from my memory. I only came in because James says we need to get going shortly and he said I should be the one to wake you up."

"Oh damn. Is it that late already?" Ash asked, rubbing his eyes.

"Well, if you managed to actually get some sleep at a reasonable time…"

"What's that supposed to mean?"

"You only went to sleep about two or three hours ago."

"How do you know what time I-" Ash started, then the words died in his throat. "Oh."

"Yeah." Brock pointed a thumb at the nearest wall. "Paper-thin walls. At first I thought you two were just having another one of your arguments. Then your voices got louder and I realized you were agreeing with each other an awful lot." Ash looked away and coughed nervously.

"We were that loud?" He asked quietly.

"Unfortunately." Brock snorted. "You two didn't leave a whole lot to the imagination." A smirk crossed his face. "Is it true that she wanted you to use your vines to-"

"Okay, that's enough. Time to get out." Ash pointed to the door. "I'll get Misty up. Just give us some privacy." Brock chuckled as he turned and headed for the door.

"Don't dawdle. I guess you two can take a shower together to speed things up." Brock stopped as if to ponder something. "Actually, you might be better off with individual showers. You'll have less opportunity to…"

"OUT!" Ash hissed and Brock quickly evacuated the room. Ash sighed. He wanted nothing more than to crawl back into bed and cuddle with the girl lying next to him, but he knew he couldn't. He couldn't afford to become complacent yet. He may have rescued Misty and Brock, but he still had plenty of friends out there that Giovanni could use as collateral if he so chose. Slowly, he turned and moved close to Misty. He could smell her hair and it smelled like strawberries. A grin spread across his face. It was the most pleasant scent he could imagine and he vowed not to forget it again. He leaned in and put his mouth by her ear. "Hey Mist." He whispered. Misty groaned in response. "It's time to get up." He moved his lips just below her ear and kissed the soft skin there. Misty giggled and tried to push his face away. Ash backed off and Misty slowly opened her eyes.

"Ash?" She asked. Her eyes scanned his body and she smiled contently. "Good. I wasn't just dreaming it all."

"I had the same thought." Ash laughed. "Come on. We need to get going."

"Ugh." Misty closed her eyes and her head crashed back down on the pillow. "Do we have to? I was kinda hoping we could just cuddle for a while or something."

"I wish we could, but you know we have to keep moving."

"Oh really?" Misty elevated one eyebrow. "There's nothing I can do to…change your mind?" She slowly sat up, letting the covers fall from her body. Ash struggled to keep his eyes on her face.

"Catering to my weaknesses…clever." Ash said, his eyes wanting to roam but being forced to concentrate on her face. "But this is serious. We need to get back to Topaz Town. Bill is waiting for us there." Misty sighed and slumped down. Ash put his hand on her cheek tenderly. "Once we get there, we can relax and spend some more time just you and me, okay?"

"Promise?" Misty asked.

"Have I ever lied to you?" Ash grinned.

"Yes."

"Oh, right. Well, I'm not now." Ash pulled the covers off and his body and got out of bed. Misty watched him intently as he found his clothes and started to get dressed. Ash looked back at the dreamy expression on her face and laughed. "Enjoying yourself?"

"You could be doing it slower." Misty grinned.

"Of course, you realize this means that I'll be watching you while you dress."

"I would be offended if you didn't." She smiled. Ash finished getting dressed, then watched Misty intently as she scrounged up the clothing she had haphazardly thrown across the room. Once they were sufficiently dressed, they walked out of the room, hand-in-hand. Brock was sitting on a couch and James was leaning against the wall. "How do you think they'll respond when we tell them that we're together now?" Misty whispered mischievously. Ash cleared his throat awkwardly.

"I don't think we'll need to tell them." He quickly changed the subject. "Hey, James." Ash said. "How are your legs?"

"Better. I can stand on them, although I don't know how much more than that I can do." His eyes narrowed. "I could have used some more sleep, but _something_ kept me up the entire time." Misty's face went bright red and Ash rubbed the back of his head sheepishly.

"Yeah, sorry about that. The bed was kinda squeaky."

"It wasn't the bed squeaking." James said. "It was the girl squeaking." Misty's face flushed even further. She wished she could find somewhere to hide, but she was stuck out in the open. She slowly turned to Brock who was grinning madly. He gave Misty a thumbs-up and that was almost worse than James' vulgar comments.

"You…heard…us?" Misty asked quietly.

"Well, let's see if this answers your question." James said. He coughed, then raised the octave of his voice to try and do an impression of Misty. "Oh, Ash! Yes! Just like that! God, I want you so bad!" Misty groaned and looked down at her feet, keeping her face out of view. Ash glared at James as the man returned to his normal voice. "Sound familiar?"

"Okay, okay." Ash said hastily. "I get the picture; we kept you up last night. We'll be quieter next time."

"Next time?" James asked. "My God, you two are going to be like Furrets in heat, aren't you?"

"Oh, come on, James." Brock said. "Leave them be. Young love is precious."

"So is a good night's rest." James sighed. "But whatever. Let's just finish packing and-" But he never got a chance to say the rest of his sentence. A loud gun shot permeated the air and echoed throughout the entire hotel. James immediately pushed himself away from the wall while Ash instinctively brought Misty close to him. Misty let out a yelp of surprise and Brock nearly fell off the couch.

"What the hell?" Brock asked.

"Team Rocket!" James hissed. "It has to be. How the fuck did they know we were here?"

"Did they find the Mayor's car?" Ash asked frantically.

"I don't know. There must be some kind of homing beacon." James growled. "We need to get out of here."

"The window!" Ash said. He ran over to the nearest window and grabbed the bottom of the frame to open it. His eyes ventured outside and then suddenly widened. A hail of bullets fired up through the pane, shattering the window into thousands of glass shards. Ash immediately ducked down as Misty and Brock shouted out in fear. "Well, forget that!" Ash said as he crawled back to the middle of the room. "It's Team Rocket, all right. And they have the whole place surrounded!"

"I knew we stayed here too long." James growled. "Looks like we're fighting our way out the front door. At least that way, we stand a chance of meeting them on equal ground."

"What about Brock and Misty?" Ash asked. "They can't defend themselves against a legion of gun-wielding Rockets!"

"Do you two have Pokemon?" James asked. Brock shook his head.

"They were taken from us when we got captured."

James turned back to Ash. "Then you're just going to have to find some way to smuggle them out undetected."

"Damn it." Ash grumbled, and then reached for his belt. He detached the poke balls and handed them to his friends. "Misty, take Poliwhirl, Bulbasaur, and Spearow. Brock, here's Geodude, Vulpix, and Venonat. They'll listen to you guys, but don't use them unless you need to."

"O-okay." Misty nodded. "What are we going to do, Ash?"

"I don't know." Ash said. "But I'll think of something." He bit his lip nervously. "Hopefully."

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The smoke rising from the end of the pistol Jessie held seemed to draw the attention of everyone in the lobby of the hotel. The singular gunshot most likely gave them away to everyone else in the building, including their marks, but they hadn't taken a stealthy approach anyway. The police would arrive soon and it would be one major showdown between them. She had enough Rockets with her to take on all of Pearl City if necessary.

"Now that I have your attention." Jessie strolled up to the woman behind the front desk. She was shaking visibly, her eyes wide and mouth hanging agape. "There is going to be a room under the name Stone or Waterflower. You will tell me which number it is."

"I…I…" Her words died in her throat. Jessie sighed and drew the gun out and pressed it against the woman's temple. She had no intention of pulling the trigger, but intimidation was working in her favor.

"Don't make me search each room. Make it easy on yourself. And everyone else here."

"Let me s-see." The woman stuttered, her eyes closed. "Just don't kill me."

"Then be fast." Jessie hissed. She watched the woman flip through a book of appointments and find a name.

"S-Stone. Brock. R-room 511."

"Thank you." Jessie smiled and withdrew her gun from the woman's forehead. She sighed in relief, but her body continued to shake. Jessie grunted, turning to the large group of Rockets in the lobby. "All of you stay here and watch for Jenny and her brigade of goons. I'll handle this situation myself." She started to towards the stairs when another voice broke in.

"Special orders, men. We'll all be making a full assault on Room 511. Kill anyone who gets in the way." Jessie turned around in a furious huff at the man who would try and upstage her. He was walking toward her, his blond hair slicked back and his nose turned up in a cocky manner. He gave Jessie a condescending smile. "Captain Jessica will, of course, still be assisting the attack."

"This is my raid and I will be giving the orders around here." Jessie snarled. "Who the hell do you think you are?" The man smiled and reached into his pocket, pulling out a small insignia that designated him as a Captain with three stars, one ranking above Jessie.

"Answer your question?" He smiled. "I am Captain Johnson and I will be taking over this operation. Split into groups of seven and get going. Remember to cover all possible entrances and exits. They can't escape all of you." The Rockets saluted sharply and began to charge to the nearest stairwell. Jessie's wild eyes glared at Captain Johnson.

"What in the hell is going on here?" She hissed. "I'm supposed to be the commanding-" Her voice stopped as she felt some something sharp against her side. She ventured a look down and saw that the captain and drawn a knife from somewhere in his outfit and was holding against her side. Her eyes widened. She hadn't even seen him move.

"Now, now. That's a bit of a temper you have there. I can see why Boss likes you so much." Johnson grinned and leaned in closed to her, putting his mouth to her ear. "The way I hear, you have a thing for one of the guys up in that room, which is why Giovanni sent me in. My real name is Clayton Arriami."

"Arriami?" Jessie whispered. She knew that name. It was one of Giovanni's right-hand henchmen, and a hybrid to boot. She tried to recall everything she knew about him, but her mind was occupied with the knife tip that was dancing against the material of her outfit, threatening to pierce right through.

"I outrank you by far." Johnson said. "You better deal with the fact that Boss could see through your clever ruse. I don't know if you were planning on helping him get out or what, but you can count your little plan foiled." He leaned forward a little bit and darted his tongue out, licking the inside of her ear. Jessie tried to push away in disgust, but the knife blade against her waist held her in place. "You can stay here." He sneered. "I'll oversee the execution from here on out."

"No." Jessie said firmly, gritting her teeth. "I'm not going to stay behind." Johnson's grin stayed plastered on his face as he slowly lowered his knife.

"Very well. Go ahead. I'd hate for you to miss the excitement." Jessie gave the man one last glare before turning full around and running toward the nearest staircase. Johnson smiled as he watched her go. He fished into his pockets and pulled out three Pokeballs. "Now it's time for part two." He said with a malicious sneer.

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Ash charged down the hall as fast as he could, Misty and Brock close behind him with James bringing up the rear. Doors to other rooms were flung wide open and several onlookers gaped in horror at the two hybrids that were running past them. Many immediately shut their doors afterward. A child tried to run out into the hall, but his mom yanked him back inside.

"Stay in you rooms and close your door!" Ash yelled to her. She stared at him in fear, and then quickly slammed the door shut. Ash felt uneasy about revealing himself to so many people, but he didn't have much of a choice. It wasn't like he planned on staying here anyway.

"Quick! Over here!" Ash yelled as he approached a door with the words 'stairs' clearly printed on it. He flung the door open and stepped into the tall room. A spiraling staircase twirled down to the bottom floor and Ash could down the hole in the center of the room all the way to the first floor. He snarled when he saw a large group of Rockets running up the stairway. His mind whirled quickly.

"Oh, great." James groaned, looking over the edge. "More unwanted company."

"C'mon!" Ash exclaimed suddenly. "Follow me!" He began to run down the staircase.

"Into the Rockets?" Brock asked, confused.

"If they know where we are, which it seems they do, they'll go straight to the fifth floor. We can throw them off by getting off at the fourth floor!" Ash explained hurriedly. "Now let's go! We don't have a lot of time!" He tore down the stairs as quick as he could, and Misty and Brock followed suit. They reached the door to the fourth floor quickly and Ash ushered his friends through the doorway. He looked back for James, but the man was nowhere in sight. "James!" Ash yelled, but he got no response. The man hadn't even followed him down the stairs.

"What was that?" A cry from further down the staircase echoed up to his ears. Ash swore and immediately shut the door behind him as he exited the stairwell. He turned around to see his two friends looking back at him expectantly.

"Where's James?" Misty asked worriedly.

"I don't know." Ash shook his head. "I think he went back to our room."

"Why?" Brock shook his head. "He knows that's where the Rockets are going."

"Exactly." Ash sighed. "Well, we can't worry about him right now. I need to find some way to get you guys out of here safely."

"And yourself too." Misty added, her voice slipping into an annoyed impatience.

"Yeah, yeah. Myself included." Ash scanned the hallway quickly. Nothing of note caught his eye. "Well, let's get going down the hall so we can go around the corner. That way we stay out of the line of sight from the stairs." Brock and Misty nodded and the trio headed down the hall as fast as they could.

As Brock rounded the corner, he almost ran into a food cart that was left stranded in the middle of the hall. A white tablecloth was draped over it so it covered the shelf beneath from view. Food was spilled on the floor around it. Misty and Ash came around the corner next and similarly stopped before running into Brock.

"Guys?" Brock said. "I've got an idea."

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The door to room 511 opened up and James walked into the open foyer of the room. He closed the door, walked to the middle and sat on the couch. A grimace was stretched along his face as he watched the door.

He momentarily considered if it was a mistake not to follow Ash, but shook it off. If he kept the Rockets busy, Ash and his friends could escape. And this way he would get the chance to kill a whole lot of people. The animal side of him gnawed and tore at his mind, demanding the foul sensation of death. He couldn't deny his inner beast what it wanted so badly.

He could hear footsteps in the outside hallway. A lot of footsteps, all marching in uniform time. James' left hand began to grip the armrest of the couch a little harder and his leg twitched in anticipation. The grimace slowly turned up into a smirk.

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Captain Johnson flicked on the light to the basement of the hotel, leisurely walking down the wooden stairs. As he made his way to the cement floor, his body began to melt into a pink slime, slowly reforming into the guise of Clayton. As he reached the basement floor, he looked through his red hair at the collection of rooms that branched off from where he stood.

He found the doorway that led to the boiler room and walked into it. He fished through his pockets and pulled out three Pokeballs. He tossed them on the floor and they split open, releasing the energy that was trapped inside. The red beams of light formed into three separate spheres, which in turn eventually became Electrodes.

"Perfect." Clayton said to himself, hands on his hips. He lifted up the first Electrode and placed it next to the main boiler. It stared back at him in confusion.

"Electrode?" It asked.

"Stay here for the time being." Clayton said smoothly. He placed the other two Pokemon strategically throughout the room; one against a major gas pipe and the other against an electrical generator. Finally he took one last piece of equipment from his pockets, a two-way radio. He placed it on a nearby shelf, then stepped back and admired his handiwork. Licking his lips, Clayton pulled out his other two-way radio and depressed the button on the side. "Electrodes! Screech!" He said into the machine before covering his ears. His words echoed through the other radio and the three Pokemon let out a high-pitched wail. Clayton waited for the screams to die out before uncovering his ears. "Excellent." He smirked, pocketing his radio. "Now you guys stay here. I'll be back for you later." He left the boiler room and headed back for the stairs. Now that Plan B was in place, he could just leave and be done with it. His eyes narrowed. He didn't want to leave quite yet. He still had unfinished business with Ketchum and his friends. He could wait just a little while longer before executing the last step of the plan.

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Ash pushed the food cart down the hall as fast as he could without knocking it over. There were several grunts and groans from beneath the white cloth as the cart his snags in the rug and jerked back and forth.

"Geez, do you think you can steer this thing any worse, Ash?" Misty asked from the shelf under the cart.

"Forgive me, but I don't think this thing was meant to handle so much weight. How fast do you think you could lose a few pounds?"

"Oh, you'll pay for that one later." Misty growled angrily.

"Hiding doesn't do us much good if you two keep talking." Brock whispered. "Flirt later!" Ash was about to rebut his statement, but he heard footsteps start to thud behind him. He bit his lip and stopped the cart.

"What happened?" Misty asked.

"Quiet!" Ash hissed between his teeth. He turned around and waited for the inevitable. Sure enough, a group of seven Rockets came running around the corner. The lead one pointed at Ash.

"There he is!" He shouted. "Get him!"

"I don't think so." Ash responded before thrusting out his hand and letting loose a barrage of razor leaves. The Rockets ran to the sides as leaves flew in multiple directions. The sharp projectiles managed to cut several men and fully incapacitate another. The remaining Rockets pulled out their Stun Sticks and dashed forward. Ash left the cart alone and rushed at the group, meeting them halfway. The closest Rockets swung their Stun Sticks at him. Two vines burst free from Ash's back and grabbed the wrists of two men, holding their red rods away from him. Using his hands, he grabbed the arms of two more Rockets and forced them to strike each other with their Stun Sticks. Both men let out piercing screams. The voltage ran through their bodies and into Ash's, and he immediately let go of them. But the damage was done and the two men fell to the side, their bodies rigid and weak from the shocks.

Ash twitched his vines to the side and sent the two men he was holding stumbling back. The other two Rockets flanked Ash to either side and came at him with their Stun Sticks. Ash spun around and kicked one in the stomach, but buckled as the other managed to get him in the shoulder with the stick. Ash growled and drove his elbow backwards into the Rocket's gut. His vines let go of their previous targets and curled around behind him, ensnaring the aggressor's waist. The vines jerked upward, tossing the Rocket into the air. He let out a yelp before crashing back down on his head with a loud crack. The other man tried to get back up, but Ash grabbed his shoulders and drove his knee into the man's chest. The air left his lungs and he collapsed to the ground.

The last two standing Rockets had fully regained their balance and were now charging at Ash. Ash steeled himself for the attack, and then ducked out of the way of the first swinging Stun Stick. He reached up and grabbed onto the man's wrist, then twisting sharply, breaking the Rocket's bones. There was a scream of pain, followed by the sound of the red rod hitting the floor. The other man stopped in mid-swing when he saw the look of pain on his partner's face. Ash used his other hand to grab the man by the wrist as he did to the other one. Instead of breaking his wrist, however, he instead closed his eyes and let a cloud of green spores into the air from under his skin. The men unwittingly inhaled the airborne seeds and felt the energy draining from their bodies. Within seconds, they collapsed to the ground, coughing and struggling for air. Ash felt a rejuvenating aura engulf his body and it felt so refreshing, he almost forgot to stop the seeding effect before he completely drained his victims. He quickly cut himself off, leaving the men unconscious by their teammates.

Ash turned back around and his eyes widened in surprise. Another team of seven Rockets had managed to come down the hall from another direction and were huddled around the food cart. Two of the Rockets had handguns and were pointing them at Ash.

"Stay where you are!" One of the men said.

"Get away from there!" Ash hissed back at them, trying to figure out to close the distance between them without catching several bullets in the process.

"Didn't think we'd figure it out?" The same Rocket asked. "We know your friends are with you and I bet I'll find them right…under…HERE!" The man grabbed the edge of the white cloth and lifted it up. A huge blast of condensed water hit his chest and he flew back against the wall, hitting with a loud smack and wet splash. Poliwhirl hopped out of the cart, followed by Bulbasaur and Vulpix. Together, they began to unleash a torrent of elemental strikes; blasts of fire, leaves and water firing out at the group of Rockets. The men moved about quickly, trying to dodge the multitude of attacks. Those with Stun Sticks tried to strike back, but they couldn't get close enough to the small Pokemon to hit them. The men with the guns took aim at the trio of Pokemon, but a gust of wind knocked the weapons out of their hands. They looked over at Spearow, who was flying above the cart, cawing angrily. Geodude burst out from under the cart and grabbed the men's ankles, pulling them harshly and causing them to fall to the ground. Venonat marched up to each one and twitched its antennae, releasing a soft purple powder that put them to sleep.

The Pokemon created just the distraction Ash needed and he managed to get up into the fray, the Pokemon purposely aiming their attacks in a way to leave a path open for their master. Ash moved deftly about the confusion, delivering quick punches and kicks to the Rockets and sending them to the ground. Venonat followed behind loyally, putting them men into a deep sleep after Ash managed to knock them down.

It didn't take long to take out the entire group and Ash stood victoriously over the mass of sleeping bodies, panting slowly. He smiled to his Pokemon, giving them a thumbs-up. "Good job guys."

"Spearow!" The bird cheered back.

"Dude dude!" Geodude agreed. Misty and Brock emerged from under the white cloth and recalled the Pokemon to their Pokeballs.

"That worked surprisingly well." Misty said.

"Yeah, it was easier than I thought." Brock commented.

"That's because you weren't the one out there fighting." Ash said, rubbing his shoulder.

"Are you okay?" Misty asked worriedly.

"I'm fine." Ash shrugged her off. "But we need to get going again. I don't know if the ruckus we caused will be large enough to-" His words died out as he heard a soft noise that steadily grew in volume. He turned sharply and his friends followed suit. The sound was a deliberately slow and patronizing clap. From around the corner, Clayton walked into view, still clapping, and gingerly stepping over the bodies in his way.

"Good show, really." Clayton said smugly. "Very impressive."

"Clayton!" Misty yelled out angrily.

"Well, hello there." Clayton smiled at her lecherously. "Miss me? I know I missed you." His eyes took in her body. "Every bit of you."

"Back off, asshole." Ash stepped in front of Misty protectively.

"Ooo!" Clayton grinned. "Someone's jealous."

"You're not going to lay a hand on her." Ash's eyes narrowed into slits. "You have no idea how badly I'm looking forward to beating the shit out of you."

"What a coincidence." Clayton grinned. "I've been waiting to show you a thing or two myself." His body dissolved into a pink goop, then reformed into the body of Voulger. "A familiar face, Ketchum?"

"You've got to be kidding me." Ash grumbled. He turned around slightly to face Brock and Misty. "You guys are going to need to get out of here, okay?"

"But, Ash…" Brock started before Ash cut him off.

"You don't need to get mixed up with this guy again. Take the Pokeballs and-"

"Ash!" Misty screamed. Ash whipped around in time to see an electrical charge surging up and down Voulger's arms. Ash's eyes widened and he grabbed his friends' shoulders, cropping to the ground and pushing them down with him. A large electrical blast fired overhead, making the trio's hair stand on end from the resulting energy. Once the ball of lightning was gone, Ash quickly pushed Misty and Brock away.

"Go! Find somewhere safe to hide!" His friends didn't argue and got to their feet before breaking into a run down the hallway. Brock pointed right ahead of them.

"A supply closet!" He said. "We can hide in there!" Misty nodded and they scrambled for the door handle. Voulger smiled at them menacingly.

"Good…moving targets." He clenched his hands again and started to build an electrical charge. Ash glowered from his position on the floor and his vines burst out of his back again. They wrapped around the legs of the dining cart and, with a mighty heave, chucked it at Voulger. The man separated his hands and held the blue one out to slow and eventually magnetically catch the metal cart. He transferred it to the red hand, and then shot it right back at Ash. Ash rolled to his feet before turning around and unleashing a solarbeam at the cart. The powerful beam struck the middle of the cart, dissolving it instantly. The ends that weren't caught became superheated into a hot molten mass that flew by Ash on either side of him. Voulger stepped to the side as the beam passed by him and burned a hole through the far wall into someone's room. Loud screams from a patron on the bed echoed out into the hall.

Luckily for Misty and Brock, the supply closet was unlocked and they hurriedly rushed inside. Brock slammed the door behind them as they heard the solarbeam hit the cart. Misty cringed at the sound and turned to Brock worriedly. "Now what?" She said. "We need to help Ash!"

"We can do that by staying out of the way." Brock said. Misty shot him a dirty look, so Brock explained. "If we're not around, Ash won't worry about trying to protect us, which is what threw him off last time he fought Clayton. If we stay safe, Ash can concentrate on the battle."

"I guess so…" Misty sighed helplessly. "But we can't just cower in the closet like this. We're still sitting ducks with nowhere to go." She looked at the back of the closet and stopped. There was a grate covering a small shaft on the wall. Above it, the words "Laundry Chute" where clearly printed.

"What are you looking at?" Brock asked. His eye followed hers. "What? Oh no…"

"C'mon, Brock!" Misty said excitedly. "This is what we need right about now! An express trip to either the first floor or the basement!" She knelt down and began to fiddle with the latch for the grate.

"Misty that hole is way too small for us." The grate popped off the wall. "Well, maybe not you, but definitely me."

"Then suck in that gut, Brock." Misty said, then turned and looked down the dark chute. Fear rose up in her chest, but she pushed it down. If Ash could be brave, then so could she. She took a deep breath to calm herself and put one slender leg into the shaft.

"This could be bad Misty. We don't know where this will take us."

"I'll take the unknown down here than the known out there." Misty said, then put her other leg into the shaft, sitting on the edge. She took another deep breath and dropped down the angled chute. Brock heard her screams die out as she plummeted out of sight. Brock bit his lip and let out a groan. He squeezed himself into the tight fit as best as possible and pushed himself down the chute after her. The sudden drop wasn't straight down, but the angle was steep enough to make it feel that way. Brock yelled out as he fell, the tight squeeze not slowing him down at all. All it did was make the fall more uncomfortable.

The chute suddenly ended and Brock tumbled out onto a pile of dirty towels and bed sheets. He rolled off and came to a stop on the cement floor. "Ugh…" He held his head and groaned. "I feel sick."

"Join the club." Misty's voice said next to him. He opened his eye and looked over at Misty, who had become entangled with a bed comforter. Brock struggled to his feet, and then helped Misty get free. "Well, it worked." Misty said. "We're in the basement."

"It wasn't exactly the route I'd choose, but it worked." Brock nodded. "Let's see what we can find out." The duo headed out of the laundry room into what seemed like a central hub for the basement. Several other doorways branched out from the room, as well as a staircase that probably headed up to the first floor lobby.

"I don't think we should just go up the stairs." Misty said.

"We may not have to." Brock commented. "They have a wine cellar here." He walked into one of the doorways and down a small set of stone steps. "I saw a small vineyard just outside the perimeter of the hotel when we first arrived here. If this is designed like I think it is…" He walked down the long corridor a bit until he saw a crack of light at the far end. "Bingo! I bet there's a door that will take us into the vineyard and out of view of the hotel itself. We can escape that way, Misty!" He paused, but got not response. "Misty?" He ran back out of the wine cellar, fearing the something had happened to the girl. He was relieved to find she was still in the lobby, but she was looking into one of the rooms with her mouth agape. "Misty? What's going on?" Brock asked, walking up to her. He looked into the room and nearly face-faulted. "W-what the hell is this?" He asked weakly.

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A gush of blood shot into the air as James' claws tore into the body of a nearby Rocket. He crumpled to the ground amid a mass of other bodies that had piled up on the floor of the room. Many Rockets ran away from the sudden carnage in the room, and those who stayed were quickly torn apart. There had been a lot of Rockets in the attack, but the close quarters of the room gave James a large advantage. The anger that surged through James' body caused him to move faster and faster, ducking and weaving around the attempted swings of Stun Sticks. The men did occasionally manage to land several hits on James' body, but the adrenaline surging through his body allowed him to shrug off the pain and keep going.

He stuck his claws into the gut of another man and chucked him at the partially closed door. The impact from the body caused the door to slam shut and trap the remaining three Rockets into the room. It was only a matter of moments before James cut them in half, sending their bloody torsos crashing to the floor. James stopped and took a deep breath. The pain from the Stun Stick hits he took started to course through his nerves and he shuddered. He held one hand out and supported himself against the wall, while he regained his composure. He had burn marks on his arms and face, but they wouldn't last long.

The room was a hideous sight. The walls were splattered with splotches of blood and the floor was almost covered with dead bodies and severed body parts. A thick, powerful stench filled the air. Some drops of blood oozed off of James' claws and landed on his boots. He was about to sit back down when he heard some more footsteps out in the hall. He froze in place, then snuck up near the door and waited silently.

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Jessie quickly ran up the stairs, with five Rockets following behind her. The small group and intercepted her on the second floor and told her that Captain Johnson had instructed them to escort her to room 511 and provide back-up. She didn't have any other choice and had begrudgingly accepted their offer.

They reached the fifth floor and exited the stairwell into the main hallway. And in the process, ran into a group of Rockets that were quickly running away. They almost collided with each other head-on.

"What's going on?" Jessie asked.

"We can't stop him!" The first Rocket said exhilaratingly. "He's a monster!"

"Sorry, Captain Jessica!" Another man said and the group quickly dashed off into the stairwell. Jessie watched them go, then turned back down the hallway. She stared off for a few moments. _James…a monster?_

"Captain?" One Rocket interrupted her thought process. "Are we going to go eliminate the hybrid?" Jessie didn't say anything, but instead pulled her pistol from the its holster.

"I am." She said.

"But, Captain, were under orders to…" He didn't get to finish his sentence as Jessie spun around and kicked him in the stomach. He doubled over in pain and Jessie brought her knee up and smashed her kneecap into his face. He fell to the ground, his face a bloody mess. The other Rockets all gasped in horror.

"Captain! What is this?"

"I'm eliminating some dead weight." She said, reaching for her side. She detached a Pokeball and tossed it onto the ground. It split open and the red light that emanated from within formed into the imposing form of an Arbok. "Arbok! Tackle!"

"ARRRRBOK!" The snake Pokemon shouted before lunging at the nearest opponent. The man shrieked and held an arm up to cover his face. The Arbok clamped it's mouth around the man's arm and sunk the teeth into his arm. The man yelled in pain before the Arbok shook its head furiously and tossed the man down the hallway.

The other three men looked on in horror before remembering that Jessie was still there. They turned as one in time to see her bring the butt of her pistol around and whipping the nearest Rocket with it. His skull caved in slightly and he collapsed to the ground. The two other men pulled out their Stun Sticks and held them out defensively. Jessie stopped in place, spun the gun around so the barrel was facing straight ahead and shot the first man in the hand. He dropped his rod to the ground after howling in pain and Jessie shot him again in the leg to drop him to his knees. She spun her leg around and kicked his face as hard as she could. His jaw shattered and he fell to the ground in a puddle of his own blood. The final Rocket held out his Stun Stick threateningly.

"Have you gone mad Captain Jessica?" The man asked.

"No. I've just managed to prioritize." She said. She lifted her gun to point at his head, but it wasn't necessary. Her Arbok attacked from the side, clamping its teeth into the Rocket's waist. He screamed in pain and tried to hit the Arbok with Stun Stick. Jessie stepped in and pistol whipped the side of his head as hard as she could. He immediately lost consciousness. She heard his skull crack and blood trickled down his face. Arbok let him go and he fell to the floor.

"Good job, Arbok." Jessie patted the snake's head before recalling it to its Pokeball. She put both the ball and the gun away, then ran down the hall as fast as she could. _I'm coming James…_

She reached the door to room 511 and saw some blood splatter on the door and oozing out from under the doorway, seeping into the rug. Fearing James might be hurt, she twisted the doorknob, threw the door to the room open, and immediately stopped into place with a jerk as she felt a sudden sharp pain in her abdomen. Her eyes were instinctively drawn down to her stomach, were two large bone claws were firmly implanted into her midsection. Blood pooled around the wounds, staining her uniform.

Her eyes trailed across the claws to the arm they were attached to, then painstakingly up to the face of the man who they belonged to. James was glaring at her angrily, his teeth gritted and eyes narrowed. His eyes were so cold and distant; it was like she didn't even recognize them anymore. She opened her mouth to say something, but found her mouth dry. James' expression slowly softened as he began to realize what just happened. His mouth slowly started to open in shock and fear and his eyes went wide.

"Oh…my…God…" James said slowly, his body starting to shake. He felt weak in the knees all of a sudden. "Oh, God! Jessie!" His eyes vaulted to his claws, which were imbedded in her torso, then back up to her eyes as if he couldn't believe what was going on. "JESSIE!"

"James…" Jessie moaned weakly before collapsing forward, unable to support herself any longer. James quickly caught her with his other arm and slowly lowered both himself and Jessie to the floor. He supported the back of her neck to try and keep her head up. His mind was racing furiously, unable to come to grips with the situation.

"Hold on, Jess…let me get my claws out of you…" James suddenly felt her hands wrap around his wrist.

"No." Jessie said firmly, looking James in the eyes. "I…I'm not going to last much longer. Your claws are all that's keeping me alive right now. If you remove them, I'll die much quicker."

"Stop saying that!" James pleaded angrily. "You're not going to die, okay? We can get you some help. I can bandage you up…"

"Please…James…" She said weakly. "Don't go into denial…we don't have time for that."

"Oh no…Oh God no." James bit his lip, his eyes radiating fear and worry. Jessie found it comforting that she could see a glimpse of the old James she knew in his eyes. "Jessie…I'm so sorry Jessie…"

"You don't need to apologize to me, James." She coughed. "It makes a kind of strange sense. I take away your life and you do the same for me."

"No, Jessie!" James shouted. "You didn't do anything to me!"

"I sold you out, James. I know you've figured that out."

"I don't blame you." James whispered softly, tears stinging at his eyes. "I never blamed you." Jessie felt her heart throb in her chest.

"I don't deserve a friend like you." Jessie said weakly, feeling ready to cry at any moment herself. She wanted so badly to tell him everything she felt for him, to reveal the secret she's been hiding from him, but she couldn't. Even on her deathbed, she couldn't find the courage to tell him.

"Please don't leave me…" James whispered.

"James. I need you to listen to me." She said, coughing up some blood onto her uniform. "Giovanni is going to start the final phase of his plan soon. You need to stop him. Please. Do it for me."

"Okay." James said, his voice a hoarse whisper. "Jessie, I…I…I don't want you to die." There was childlike innocence to his voice that she hadn't heard in so long. "I don't want to be the one who killed you."

"I'm died a long time ago, James. I died when I betrayed you. You're just finally setting me free." She gave him a weak smile. "I'm just…glad I could be…in your arms…" She coughed up some more blood before slowly lifting herself so she could put her mouth by his ear. She whispered two last words into his ear before collapsing into his arms, the last traces of life leaving her eyes.

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A large ball of fire burst through a hotel room door, sending wood splintering in several directions. Ash flew through the air as the blast of fire sent him careening into the room. He hit the floor hard, but manages to turn his landing into a roll. His teal skin was badly burnt. The flames felt twice as harsh to him because of his elemental weakness to fire. He groaned as he got to his feet, the singes on his body causing him tremendous pain.

Zach walked into the room, grinning evilly. He tossed the cigarette he was smoking onto the floor as he walked up to Ash. "Feeling a little weak, Ash?" he laughed. "Ready to throw in the towel?"

"Not yet." Ash hissed. He took a swing at Zach, who dodged the attack easily.

"Come on." Zach taunted. "You can do better than that."

"You mean like this?" Ash swung his leg around at Zach's midsection. Zach easily caught the boy's leg, holding him in place.

"Now what?" Zach asked. Ash didn't say anything. Using his trapped leg as leverage, Ash propelled himself off the ground with his other foot, swinging it up and around and smashing the heel into the side of Zach's face. Zach groaned in pain and immediately dropped Ash's leg, sending the young man careening to the ground. Ash hit the floor hard, but immediately got back on his feet. Zach fell to the floor as well, the power of the hit enough to send him down. He started to stand back up, but was too slow and Ash got a chance to kick him in the chest and send him rolling backwards. Ash hurried over and brought his foot back for another kick. Zach's body suddenly melted into a pink slime, and then reformed into the image of Klaus as he when he was part Scizor. Ash's kick struck his metal body and the resulting clang reverberated in the air. Ash cringed in pain and jumped back.

Klaus got to his feet quickly, glaring at Ash angrily. "So you got a good hit in." He said. "It doesn't matter. I've still got the upper hand. I can play to all your weaknesses."

"Is that so?" Ash growled. "Then how about this?" Two vines burst out of his back and shot out, wrapping themselves around Klaus' ankles. Klaus tried to bring his scissor-like hands down to cut the intruding vines, But Ash yanked back on them, pulling the man's feet out from under him. He crashed to the ground, landing hard on his back. Growling, Klaus sat up and attempted to cut the vines again. This time, they let go of his ankles and returned to Ash's body. Klaus snarled and he shot to his feet, wings beating like mad. It propelled him at Ash quickly and the young man could only bring his arms up in defense. He used his forearms to push Klaus' claws away, hitting the wrists and trying to stay away from the actual scissor claws. Klaus snarled angrily, snapping his claws at Ash with rapid-fire speed. Ash ducked and weaved from side to side while simultaneously moving backwards. He knew he was going to run out of room eventually. He had to do something to get an advantage.

His left foot stepped down on the scattered doorknob from the busted door and Ash felt himself slip on the round object. Another one of Klaus' attacks barely missed him as he fell to the floor. He crashed down hard, the wind leaving his lungs. Klaus snickered happily before raising his claws up for an easy hit. Ash quickly lifted his arm, feeling the familiar crawling under his skin. His wrist split wide open and razor leaves began to fly wildly into Klaus' face. They didn't do any damage to him, merely bouncing off his metal skin, but they caused enough sparks to distract him and he waved his hands in front of his face to stop the onslaught. Ash cut off the leaf flow, got to his knees, and grabbed the back of Klaus' legs, pulling sharply. Klaus let out a whoop before falling onto his back again with a resounding thud.

Before the man could recover, Ash grabbed onto his ankles. His vines burst out of his back again and wrapped around each ankle as well. Utilizing all his energy for all four appendages, he swung the metal man around like a discus. His body flew against the wall and his head crashing against a window, shattering the glass. Klaus groaned in pain as his body slowly melted into a pink goop and then into the slumped shape of Clayton.

"Ugh…" Clayton groaned. Ash got to his feet and held his hand out.

"Nothing's going to stop me here." Ash said coldly. "You're going to die this time, Clayton."

Much to Ash's chagrin, Clayton began to laugh. "Me, die?" He smiled. "No, I don't think so. Not to the hands of some reject hybrid."

"You don't have much a say in it." Ash said. His wrists opened up again and he let out a torrent of leaves. Clayton quickly grabbed the window sill behind him and pulled himself up into a handstand one the edge of the sill. The leaves stuck into the wall where he used to be. Ash watched in shocked awe as Clayton turned into a pink blob then reformed into Amy before coming back down to the floor. She smiled at Ash.

"You wouldn't kill me, would you?" She asked sweetly. "After everything we've been through together?"

"I know it's really you, Clayton. You're not going to trick me again."

"Aren't you the brave one." She continued to smile and held out a small walkie-talkie. "Tell you what, sweetie." She cooed. "If you spare me, I'll call off the Rockets."

"I don't believe you." Ash said, but lowered his hand slightly. "Call them off first, and I'll consider it."

"Fair enough." Amy smiled, then held the walkie-talkie up to her mouth. She took a deep breath before saying, in Clayton's voice: "Electrodes! Self-Destruct!"

"What?!" Ash cried out, realizing he had been tricked him. Amy grinned at Ash, but the grin quickly faded when she realized nothing was going to happen . She held the machine up to her mouth again. "I said Self-Destruct, Electrodes!" This time, another voice came over the receiver.

"Sorry." The female voice said. "Your Electrodes are off-line." Ash's heart leapt up. That was Misty's voice.

"How?" Amy growled, her voice still identical to Clayton's.

"Our Geodude made short work of all three of them."

"You bitch!" Amy screamed, throwing the walkie-talkie across the room. She turned to Ash with a scowl. Ash smiled and held his hand out.

"Goodbye, Clayton." Ash said.

"This isn't over." Amy hissed. Ash let out a stream of razor leaves and she jumped backward, crashing through what was left of the window glass. Ash ran over to the window and watched Amy use her wings to float to the ground easily. Ash fired another round of leaves, but the cross winds and distance made them fly off in random directions, missing the target.

"Dammit!" Ash swore. _Where did all the Rockets surrounding the hotel go? Right when he could have actually used them…_ He sighed and turned from the window. He had more important things to worry about than Clayton. He ran over to the walkie-talkie, which had landed on the room's queen-sized bed. He picked it up and held it to his lips. "Misty?"

"Is that you, Ash?" Misty asked cautiously. "Or another Clayton impression?"

"It's me, Misty." Ash assured her.

"Prove it."

"Umm…you curl your toes whenever I kiss your-"

"Okay, okay. I believe you." Misty said hastily. "Thank God you're all right."

"Bah, Clayton had nothing on me." Ash scoffed. "Good work getting rid of those Electrodes. Where are you guys?"

"The basement. We went down a laundry chute. Brock says he found an alternate way out of here, which is good because we can hear fighting above us. I think the police have arrived and are at war with the Rockets."

_That explains why the hotel's no longer surrounded._ Ash thought. "Okay. Stay right there. I'm going to get James and we'll all get out of here together."

"Use a laundry chute in one of the supply closets. You can avoid the police that way."

"Sounds good. I'll see you in just a little bit."

"Be careful." Misty said softly. "I'm not ready to let you go yet."

"Gotcha." Ash said and pocketed the walkie-talkie. He ran out of the room and toward the stairwell. He threw the door open, dashed up to the fifth floor and came to a screeching halt in the hallway. There were Rocket bodies scattered all around. Some dead, some just unconscious, and some Ash couldn't tell the difference between. Hopefully James was still okay. He ran to the room 511 and saw that the blood-stained door was already ajar. He peeked in and his breath caught in his throat.

The room was covered in blood and dead Rocket bodies piled up everywhere. It looked like a slaughterhouse and smelled even worse. But that wasn't what caught Ash's attention. In the center of room, James was sitting down cradling Jessie's dormant body and doing the one thing Ash never thought he'd see hybrid James do. He was crying his heart out.

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The battle between the police and Team Rocket waged on for several hours, but the police were eventually able to subdue the Rockets and arrest those who hadn't been shot. The police were extremely surprised to see that a large number of Rockets were already dead before they go there, many of them killed in a grisly fashion.

They were so focused on their battle with the Rockets, in fact, that they never noticed the small group of people that left the hotel through a small shed in the vineyard, snuck into the parking lot, entered a red convertible, and drove away out of sight.

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The top of a large, wind-swept hill on the outskirts of Topaz Town was usually empty except for the occasional Ekans or Sandshrew. At dusk on one particular hill, four people hunched around a mound of dirt that, only an hour ago, used to be a shallow grave. A slab of rock was placed as a tombstone at the head of the mound. A few words had been hastily scrawled onto the rock face. As the sun set over the horizon, an awkward silence hovered over the small group.

James knelt one side of the grave, staring at the dirt with an unblinking stare. One the other side, Ash stood firmly, although he felt sick to his stomach. Misty was standing as close to Ash as she could, clinging onto his hand tightly as if she was worried he might disappear at any second. Brock stood closely by, absently staring at the tombstone.

"One of us should say something." Brock whispered in Ash's ear. "But what do you say about someone who your entire relationship with revolved around failed attempts at kidnapping?"

"I don't know." Ash sighed. "I just don't know." He looked over at James. The emotional side that Ash had seen back at the hotel room was gone now, replaced with an almost dead expression. He hadn't cried at all since then and his face was like a mask; cold and emotionless.

"I'm very sorry James." Misty spoke up finally. "We had our differences, but Jessie wasn't a bad person. Not really." James slowly lifted his head to look at her. "I'll miss her. We all will." James didn't respond at first, but he finally opened his mouth as he dropped his head back down.

"I never told her." He said. "I never told her how I felt. And now I never will get the chance. She's dead. She's dead because of me."

"James, it's not your fault." Ash spoke up. James glared at him angrily, the first bit of emotion he released since they left the hotel.

"My claws are the murder weapons. She died from fatal wounds I inflicted."

"But you never meant to-"

"It doesn't matter what I _meant_ to do, twerp!" James hissed. "The fact is she's dead and I killed her!" He punched the ground as hard as he could, then stood up and dusted off his pants. He seemed to calm back down. "There. She's been buried. I'm leaving."

"James, you don't need to go so quickly." Brock said.

"I don't deserve to be here. This is hallowed ground now and every second I stay taints it." He turned and started to walk down the hill. Brock turned to Ash who was cringing from his friend's words.

"I think you should go to him, Ash." Brock said.

"Really?" Ash asked. Brock nodded. Ash turned to Misty, who dutifully let go of his hand.

"You're closer to him than us, Ash." She said. "Go. We'll wait for you here." Ash nodded and hurried down the hill after James. It didn't take long to catch up with him. He had stopped walking and was looking out over Topaz Town, watching the last glimpses of the sun and the blood red sky before both vanished into darkness. Ash cleared his throat before walking up to James' side.

"James…I-"

"I don't want or need your pity, kid." James said finitely.

"Fine. No pity." Ash said and took a deep breath. "You're acting like an idiot, James. A real fucking idiot. Do you really think this is what Jessie wants? To have you hide from her memory? To have your cringe in guilt whenever she comes to your mind?" Ash shook his head. "I don't know if she returned your exact feelings or not, but she cared about you. That much was obvious." James remained silent, so Ash continued. "Thank about that, will you? Before you go off and decide to never think about her or visit her grave again. Just because Jessie isn't a part of your world anymore doesn't mean you should forget her."

They stood there for a few more minutes in silence. Ash was beginning to wonder of he got through to his partner at all when James finally started to speak again. "I think I'm going to kill myself." He said. Ash was immediately taken aback.

"What?!" He exclaimed. "James! No!"

"I don't have anything else to really live for now, do I? What's the fucking point?"

"What about me?" Ash asked. "We've become friends, haven't we? And Brock and Misty do care about you. Besides, we hybrids have to stick together, right?"

"I don't want to be a tagalong friend." James said simply.

"I know you're mad at yourself for what happened, but that's no reason to commit suicide!" Ash yelled at him. James turned to him angrily.

"You don't know a fucking thing!" He snarled. "You've never killed someone you cared about! Someone you loved!" His eyes narrowed and pierced Ash's own. "You better hope that you never do, because I don't think you'd be able to survive the pain." Ash stared right back at him and fought the urge to breakdown. Silently, he agreed with James. The thought of losing Misty, especially to his own hands, caused his heart to convulse. "I have only one last thing I need to do."

"Revenge?" Ash asked weakly. James nodded.

"I need to kill Giovanni." He glared at Ash again. "He's mine now, understand? I want to be the one to kill him. I have to be." Ash nodded in comprehension. "That's all I have left. I'm going after him."

"Fine. We can start planning what we will do tomorrow. We'll leave tonight for grieving and-"

"No." James said simply. "Not tomorrow. I'm going after Giovanni tonight."

"Tonight?" Ash asked weakly. "How? We're not ready yet!"  
"You're not, but I am. If you can't be ready, I'm leaving without you."

"You don't even know where he is!" Ash said angrily. "How the hell do you plan to track him down when we don't even know-"

"Find Zelda." James interrupted him. Ash's train of thought derailed at James' comment. Ash furrowed his brow and cocked his head to one side.

"Uhh…what?"

"Those were Jessie's last two words to me." James said, still staring at the retreating sun. "Find Zelda."

"Okay, who's Zelda?" Ash asked.

"Not who. Where. Giovanni nicknamed all his bases after girl's names. That way he could talk about them in mixed company and only the most high-up individuals would know exactly what he was talking about. Zelda must be Giovanni's main base of operations."

"So where's Zelda then?"

"I don't know." James said. "I wasn't one of the privileged that understood the code. But Voulger and Cassandra would be. I'm sure if I looked back through the documents they sent between each other, I could find a conversation involving Zelda. Then with any luck, there will be some evidence that will link it to a specific base."

"James you can't go off by yourself." Ash said quickly. "You won't make it all the way to Giovanni. Besides, we're a team. We have to stick together. And we need to plan this out because the two of us alone are not going to be able to pull off entering Giovanni's headquarters all by ourselves very easily."

"That's why you won't be doing it by yourselves." A voice from beside them said. Ash and James immediately flipped around to see who was talking. Their eyes met purple hair and colorful wings.

"Amy!" Ash exclaimed. "Where have you been?"

"I thought you ran away." James snorted.

"I just got back to the library today." She said, avoiding Ash's question. "Bill told me where you were, so I came out to find you. You're right, Ash. You can't go taking on Giovanni all by yourself. That's why I've come back. To provide you two with a more formidable force."

"I hate to tell you this Amy," James said, "but your inclusion doesn't exactly make us a formidable force."

"I wasn't talking about just me." Amy said and pointed down the hillside. Ash and James looked past her. Ash gasped in surprise. Further down the hill, Ash could see Seth standing there, waving to him. Behind him where ten other teenagers of varying ages and genders. Amidst the group was a myriad of wings, claws, antennae, tails and shells. Each person was a hybrid.

"What the hell?" James growled.

"They all want to help you get back at the people who did this to him." Amy explained. "They're a lot like you, Ash."

"Where did you find them, Amy?" Ash asked, exasperated. "How did you get them all here?"

"I'll tell you later. It involves my sisters Pokemail transcripts, Seth's knowledge, and some other pieces, but that's not what's important right now." She stared Ash in the face. "What's important is you have a choice to make. Back at the Topaz Town mill, you told me that if you had an army to lead, you could stop Team Rocket." She held a hand out in a sweeping motion as to encompass all the people standing behind her. "I brought you an army, Ash. Will you lead them?"

"An army…?" Ash said in wonder.

"Most of these guys don't have much training in using their powers and they don't have a lot of formal fighting skills, but they're willing to learn. They'll fight for you if you want them to."

"This might actually work…" Ash mused, a smile spreading across his face. He turned back to James, who seemed to be stumbling over a major quandary. James gritted his teeth before turning to Ash slowly. The young man gave him a questioning shrug. James sighed.

"One week. Got that Twerp? I'll give you one week, and then I'm heading off after Giovanni myself."

"Gotcha." Ash nodded, then turned back to the mass of hybrids standing further down on the hill. He was feeling something swell up inside him. He didn't want to get his hopes up, but a small part of him felt like they might actually stand a chance now. Ash cleared his throat and walked forward a bit. "All right, everyone!" He called out to them. "My name is Ash Ketchum. In one week, we'll be striking out against the bastards who took our lives away from us. That means we have a lot of work to do in a short period. Training is going to start immediately on top of this hill. We're going to work hard, get ready, and show Giovanni that he fucked with the wrong people!" He held a hand up. "Are you with me?"

The chorus of shouts from the boys and girls in front of him assured him that they were. Ash grinned wildly. He didn't know if he even had the skills to lead an army to war, let alone war with the largest criminal empire the world has ever known, but he felt confident nonetheless. For better or for worse, this was the turning point.

Things were going to change. He could feel it.

**End of Sixth Iteration**

* * *

**Outro:** So there you have it. The bittersweet ending to the sixth iteration. I know there will be a few angry Rocketshippers breathing down my neck, but Jessie's passing is very important to the story as it marks the fall of James' last barrier to his sanity.

But there is another milestone besides the first death of a "good" (and a non-original) character; the next chapter is going to be the beginning of the end! That's right: the first strand of the seventh and final iteration. It's been a long and strange journey that's taken about ten months to write so far, but the end is in sight. Everything has built up to this and you will see things finally come to a climactic conclusion. Confrontations, reunions, and M. Night Shayman-esque plot twists will be thrown at you from every direction and I will make sure your devotion to this long and unwieldly story will be well paid off.

Now, I must be off to get to work on the Seventh Iteration. I want to get this story wrapped up completely before June, if it all possible. That way, I'll have written this major story in just under one year. But I need to hop to it, because I have to properly plan this iteration out. I have a lot of subplots and loose ends to tie up, not to mention the fact I just stupidly introduced ten new characters. Way to go me. Oh well...until next time!

- T.E.

P.S. Did anyone else notice that, for the first time, I actually introduced an explosive device early in the chapter and _didn't_ have it blow up the building? Now, that's a twist!


	18. Revelation

**Intro:** Welcome to the beginning of the end of Hybrids: Outbreak! The first chapter to the final Iteration starts right below you, so let's get right into it, shall we? As you should know by now, I do not own Pokemon or it's characters.

* * *

**Hybrids: Seventh Iteration**

**Strand 1: Revelation**

A cool breeze blew through the rocky crevices of Deepridge Mountain. Very few trainers stopped by Topaz Town during their travels through the Violet Isle League and even fewer attempted to scale the massive mountain that jutted forth from the main island. Thus, the upper half of the mountain failed to see any visitors on a regular basis.

One area in particular was especially isolated; a secluded crescent-shaped nook that was far off the beaten path and surrounded by sheer cliffs and dangerous rock formations. This place was known to the Topaz Town residents as Seviper's Maw, named such after a large cave at the bottom of the crevice with an entrance shaped like a serpents' mouth. Local superstitions helped add to the folklore of Seviper's Maw and only the most curious and foolhardy trainer ventured there.

A lone Pidgey flew through the grey sky and perched itself onto a large boulder, where its beady eyes fixated on a lost Weedle that was inching its way through Seviper's Maw. It ruffled its wings silently, getting ready to pounce on the lone bug Pokemon. Suddenly, a loud clang echoed through the air, startling the Pidgey and sending it flying into the air. Getting over the initial shock, it tried to get a bead on the Weedle, but it was gone from sight. The Pidgey cawed unhappily, and then took off into the grey clouds overhead.

Ash walked along a natural wall of red rocks that encompassed the perimeter of Seviper's Maw, surveying the entirety of the small valley. Brock walked behind him, in awe of everything. "Wow…you're really taking this seriously, aren't you?" Brock asked as he looked down at the group of teens that were vigorously training below them.

"You bet I am." Ash said, smiling. "We've been training here for three days straight so far and I'm making real progress with all of the…new recruits." The ten hybrids Amy had brought to him earlier that week all insisted on Ash calling them his disciples, but the term made Ash very uneasy.

"I guess I shouldn't be surprised." Brock shrugged. "You've always been good with training Pokemon; it makes sense you'd be good at training Pokemon hybrids."

"Yeah, I have to say, I wasn't too sure I could act as a leader, but once I imagined my group as Pokemon and trained them like I would train my own team for a battle, it just came naturally." Ash smiled.

"It's amazing." Brock grinned back. "You train all day and spend time with Misty all night. It's a miracle you have enough energy to wake up in the morning."

"Ha ha." Ash grumbled, the smile leaving his face. "Aren't you a fucking riot."

"I still can't believe Amy was able to free them all by herself." Brock said. "You wouldn't know it by looking at her, but she's get some real talent."

"She had Seth with her too, but I know what you mean." Ash nodded. "I'm also impressed the two of them managed to figure out where the hybrid holding facility was just from conversations Seth had overheard and the Pokemails between her sister and Voulger. And how to sneak in and everything. I guess James and I really rubbed off on her." For some reason, that made Brock laugh and Ash stopped walking and turned around. "What?"

"I bet you did rub off on her." Brock grinned. "So, are you ever going to tell Misty what happened between you and Amy?"

Ash nearly fell off the rock wall from his sudden start. His wide eyes focused on Brock's face. "How did you…I mean what makes you think something happened?"

"Amy let it slip one night when I was talking to her." Brock grinned. "She was talking about how you lost so many memories when you…evolved…and how you couldn't remember her name and voice, but you could remember that the two of you shared an intimate moment." Ash's gulped nervously and Brock laughed again. "Don't worry. She was just as embarrassed as you and made me promise not to spill the beans to anyone else. I figured since you already knew, it would be okay to tell you."

"Oh jeez…" Ash sighed. "Look, I wasn't in control back there. It wasn't me."

"I know. Amy explained it to me, as well as the fact that it was the thought of Misty that stopped you."

"So there's no real reason to tell her, right?"

"If she finds out any other way, she might be angry." Brock said, as he turned to look into Seviper's Maw. "If you really had no control, Misty will understand. Besides, you weren't together then. She shouldn't have any reason to be jealous."

"Brock, this is Misty we're talking about." Ash sighed.

"Regardless, she will forgive you." Brock smiled. "The way she can't seem to keep her hands off you lets me know that she couldn't stand to stay angry at you. Besides…" Brock trailed off and he raised one eyebrow. "Ash, how many recruits did you say you had?"

"Not including Seth? Ten."

"Because I only count nine." Brock said.

"What?" Ash looked for himself. After a few seconds, he put his hands on his hips. "Dammit! Where the hell did Beau go? She was with us when we came up this morning!" He sighed and began to run down the slope into the valley. Brock followed closely behind him. They came to the bottom quickly and stopped right in front of two dueling boys. The boy on the left had two large antennae sticking out from under his black hair and two paper-like wings sticking out of his back through the yellow and black striped shirt he wore. His hands ended in sharp drill-shaped spikes and he had a stinger protruding from the bottom of his spinal cord. The other boy had blue skin and long, pointed ears that stuck straight up toward the sky. His eyes were covered with a maroon blindfold and large bat-like wings protruded from right under his shoulder blades. Both boys were fighting in mid-air, looping around one another in between strikes.

Ash whistled sharply and the two boys stopped going at each other. "Cole! Nathan!" Ash yelled up to them. "Come down for a second!"

"Yes Master!" They both said in unison and flew down toward the ground. Brock looked at Ash, raising an eyebrow.

"Master?"

"Their term, not mine." Ash muttered. "I don't like it, but I can't seem to stop them from using it."

"What's the matter?" Cole asked, reaching the ground first. His bat-like wings folded up onto his back as he reached a balance on the ground. Despite being blind-folded, he faced Ash head-on as if he could see him.

"Have you seen Beau around? She isn't in the valley anywhere."

"I've been sparring with Nathan all day." Cole shrugged

"I think she was training with Archie and Kit." Nathan added as he reached the ground. He scratched his head with the tip of his needle-like arm. "Do you think she went into the cave?"

"I hope not, seeing as I explicitly told everyone not to do so." Ash sighed. "I'll go see if I can find Archie and Kit."

"Do you want us to help?" Nathan asked. The lanky boy pointed skyward. "We could survey the scene from the air."

"Nah. Don't worry about it. Just keep training with each other. I'll swing by later and see how you're doing."

"As you wish, Master." Cole said. His wings extended out again and he shot off into the sky. Nathan followed his cue and took off after the blue teen. Brock watched them go back to fighting in the air before turning to Ash.

"Why is that one kid blindfolded?"

"Cole is part Zubat." Ash explained. "His eyes are super-sensitive to light and they actually hinder his ability to fight. When his sight is compromised, he relies on his hearing and is able to use echo location to find his way around."

"Crazy." Brock said, shaking his head.

"C'mon. You can gawk at them later. We need to go see Archie and see what he has to say for himself." Ash motioned for Brock to follow him and they left the loud noises of the dueling duo. "They must be around the bend. The only other person in sight is Sonny." Ash pointed to a boy covered in white hair who was rapidly punching a stationary punching bag. The large bag already had several patches on it from where Sonny had beaten one area so badly it actually fell apart. Two sharp ears poked up from under his white hair and a long tail curled out from his backside. The punching bag shook with each powerful hit from his blows.

Ash and Brock round the curve of the Seviper's Maw and the cave in question came into view. As did most of the other recruits. Directly in front of him he could see Laila, a young girl with long blue hair. Her bright yellow eyes contrast the color of her hair. Two long antennae-like appendages stick out of her head and dangle in front of her face, a glowing yellow bulb on the end of each one. An electrical charge built up in the ends of each bulb, traveled down the antennae, though her body, and out to the tips of her fingers right before she unleashed a condensed ball of lightning at the boy adjacent to her several yards away. The boy had deep brown skin and a short tail. He wore a bone helmet on his head shaped like the skull of a prehistoric Pokemon. In his left hand, he wielded a long bone, possibly a femur, like a baseball bat. As the ball of electricity came at him, he took swing and struck the bright projectile with his bone-club. The spark dissipated upon contact. The boy grinned. "That makes ten in a row!" He said.

"Good job!" The girl replied happily. "Keep it up!" She looked ready to build up another charge when she spotted Ash and Brock. She turned to them with a friendly smile. "Hello, Master!"

"How's it going, Laila?" Ash asked.

"Good! Oliver is getting really talented with that bone of his." She said innocently, then immediately blushed at her words. "No! I meant his weapon!"

"I know what you meant." Ash said hurriedly. "Don't worry about it. Look, have you seen Beau lately? She was supposed to be with Archie and Kit."

"Afraid not." Laila shook her head. "I've had my eyes on Oliver all day." She let out a squeak and flushed again. "But only because he's my partner! I mean as in sparring partner! Like teammate!"

"Calm down, Laila." Ash said, gripping her shoulders. "The only person interpreting things that way is you." The girl took a deep breath and laughed nervously.

"Sorry. I'm just on edge about all of this. I've never done any kind of fighting before. It's all kind of frightening to me."

"You're doing fine." Ash patted her shoulder. "Don't worry." He leaned in a little closer to her and whispered in her ear. "And you should really tell Oliver how you feel. It sounds dumb, but trust me…it actually works." Laila flushed crimson and Ash walked on past her. Brock raised one eyebrow as he caught up with his friend.

"So…you manage to get one girl and now you're authorized to give out advice on love?" Brock asked.

"It wasn't just _a_ girl, Brock. It was _the_ girl." Ash said. "Besides, it was your advice. I was just passing it along." Out of the corner of his eye, he caught sight of a large, muscular man with horns sticking out of the side of his head lifting boulders with one hand. He had brown hair and a brown goatee. Three long brown tails with small tufts at the ends stuck out from a hole in his pants. The young man was Gene and he had thrown Ash off at first. While most of the other recruits were Ash's age or younger, Gene was an exception. As large as he was, he still looked relatively young; Ash didn't find out until later he was actually in his late twenties.

"Hey." Brock said, tapping Ash's shoulder. "Isn't that Archie there?" He pointed straight ahead to two young hybrids, a boy and girl, jogging around the inside wall of the Maw. The boy, Archie, had light green skin and yellow spots. A 'T'-shaped red feeler jutted out from his forehead. He wore a trainer cap similar to the one Ash used to own during his trip through Kanto. The girl, Kit, had bleached blond hair and sharp, fox-like ears. Nine identical pale yellow tails jutted forth from behind her.

"So it is." Ash said and he cupped his hands around his mouth. "Archie! Kit!" He shouted out to him. Kit's ears perked up and she came to a halt right in front of the cave entrance. Archie, noticing his lack of running partner, came to stop as well. Ash hurried over to them, eager to find out what was going on.

"Hello, Ash!" Archie said happily as Ash approached them.

"Refer to him as Master!" Kit hissed angrily. Archie stood at attention quickly.

"Right! Sorry Master!"

"No, please. It's not necessary." Ash insisted, but knew it fell on deaf ears. He liked Archie for three reasons; he reminded Ash of his remaining memories of himself as a kid, he had good tastes in hats, and he was the one recruit who didn't refer to him as Master besides Gene.

"What can we do for you, Master?" Kit asked, her red eyes shining brightly. Both Kit and Archie were thirteen, the youngest age of all the recruits. Ash didn't want to train them at first because of their ages, but they had insisted on assisting him and Ash couldn't turn away the help.

"Were you two training with Beau earlier?" Ash asked. The guilty looks that crossed both kids' faces gave Ash his answer. "You wouldn't happen to know where she is, would you?"

"No." Archie said weakly. "We were doing laps around the valley when Beau decided to take a break. She just sat down and said she'd join back in when we came around again. When we did, she was gone."

"We didn't mean to lose her, honest." Kit said guiltily.

"It's not your fault, but if Beau isn't in the Maw, then there could be trouble. If I don't know where she is, what would happen if she got caught?" Ash sighed. "So no one knows where she could be then."

"I saw her." A female voice said from the inside of the cavern. Ash, Brock, Archie, and Kit all turned to look into the mouth of the stone snake, trying to make out the voice in the darkness. Suddenly, a girl in dark clothing and a hood dropped down from the ceiling, turning to land on her feet. She had three long white claws on each hand, similar to that of James. She had a yellow gem in the center of her forehead and her ears were bright pink, contrasting her otherwise dark blue skin. She kept her similarly pink hair up in a bun, hidden under the hood.

"You did?" Ash asked.

"Yes, I watched her leave the valley from my perch."

"She went into the cave then." Ash sighed. "Well, I'm glad you saw her, but you shouldn't be in there either, Yuki."

"It's my element." Yuki said, retracting her claws. "I'm able to get in touch with the darkness when I'm in there. And that's not where Beau went." She pointed over the ridge of the Maw. "There's a thin path that winds around the mountain to a small ledge with a spring. I think she went there to bathe."

"Jeez." Ash sighed. "Couldn't she do that before we left this morning?"

"In all fairness, Master, she needs water more often than the rest of us do." Kit interjected.

"That's why we brought water bottles." Ash said. "Well, I guess I need to bring her back before she gets spotted. I don't like the thought of anyone being out on their own." He turned to Brock. "Think you can watch over the group for a bit, Brock?"

"Sure." Brock shrugged. "How hard can it be?"

"You'll see." Ash said simply, before turning to scale the wall.

"Would you like some company?" Yuki asked. "If she is truly bathing, she might not appreciate a man coming to get her."

"Good point." Ash nodded. "And you can lead me to this path as well."

"Exactly." Yuki pulled her hood back to reveal her hair. She pulled out the ribbon that held it up and the pink locks tumbled down blow her shoulders. "Follow me, Master." She said and headed up the rocky slope. Brock watched Ash follow her out of sight and then went back to surveying the valley. Hopefully, no one else would decide to run off on his watch.

o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o

Back inside the Topaz Town library, Amy and Misty were busily sorting through the large stack of letters that went between Voulger and Cassandra. Ash had asked them to do so in hopes of finding out any information on the base called Zelda. They had been at it all morning while the boys were off training with the new recruits. Ash had invited Amy to train with them, but she argued that she knew Cassandra's Pokemails better than anyone and that she should help.

The girls hadn't had a chance to talk much, being so wrapped up in the work, but Amy was getting bored and wanted to start up a conversation. "So…you're _the_ Misty, huh?"

Misty looked up from her paper and shot Amy a quizzical look. "What's that supposed to mean? _The_ Misty?"

"I mean as in Ash's Misty." Amy said. Misty blushed.

"I take it he mentioned me to you before he came to my rescue?" She asked shyly.

"Oh, you could say that." Amy smiled.

"Good things, I hope."

"Very good." Amy nodded, stifling a giggle. "You were his reason to keep going."

"He said that?"

"Not exactly, but it was easy to get that impression. You could see it in his eyes when he talked about you."

"Really?" Misty was smiling now. "Wow."

"Yeah. He's an amazing guy."

"He's _my_ amazing guy." Misty said firmly. Amy giggled.

"Don't worry." Amy said. "I know he's taken." She momentarily contemplated telling her that Ash liked having his earlobes nibbled on, but held back. She didn't want to cause any strife between them. Especially for a joke. Especially if it would toss her into the center of the argument. It was bad enough she accidentally told Brock.

She went back to her sheet and scanned the page. Her eyes caught a series of words and her eyebrows shot up. "Aha!" She said out loud. Misty looked up.

"What is it?"

"Voulger mentions Zelda right here." Amy said, pointing to her paper. "He doesn't say anything else though."

"Well, let's try and find all the other documents around that date." Misty pointed out. Amy nodded.

"Good idea. We make a good team." She smiled and split the stack of letters between them. Misty grinned and eagerly accepted the pile of paper. They began to root through the papers quickly, following their new lead.

o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o

Beau sat in a pool of cool water, her clothes draped along a red rock on the water's edge. She looked out over the ledge of the mountain, looking out at the open sea. She sighed and closed her eyes, letting the cool feeling of the liquid she was submerged in wash over her.

She had long red hair and a large horn that protruded from her forehead. Although she had full arms and hands, flipper-like appendages branched off of her arms and floated in the pool of water. A thin dorsal fin curved down over her spine. A small set of gills were visible on either side of her neck.

She heard a rustle from behind here and quickly whipped around to see what it was. She quickly reached for her clothes, but paused when she saw who it was. "Yuki?" She asked, watching the darkly clothes girl come into view. "What are you doing here?"

"You're not supposed to be out of the valley." Yuki said, stopping in place. "You need to get dressed and come back with me."

"Just give me a few minutes, Yuki." Beau turned back away from her, closing her eyes. "I need this right now."

"Master Ash will be displeased."

"He won't have to find out." Beau said.

"It's too late for that." A masculine voice from behind a formation of rocks caused Beau to almost jump out of the water. Her head whipped around and she started at Yuki.

"Was that…?" She asked weakly and Yuki nodded solemnly. Beau gulped, and then spoke up again. "Master?" She asked.

"Get dressed, Beau." Ash said simply. "We need to talk." Beau sighed and stood up, water dripping down her body. She grabbed her clothes and threw them back on, not bothering to dry off. The longer she stayed damp, the better.

"She's decent, Master." Yuki stated and Ash came around the side of the rock formation. He didn't look very happy. Beau was younger than most of the other recruits, but older than Kit and Archie. Thusly, Ash was still her elder and getting disciplined embarrassed her greatly.

"I thought I made it clear not to leave Seviper's Maw." Ash said, hands on his hips. Yuki backed off slightly so as not to get involved.

"I needed to hydrate myself." Beau said, looking at her feet. "Being part Goldeen requires me to stay fairly wet; I can't allow myself to dry out."

"I understand that, but you should have come to me and let me know or, at the very least, get someone to go with you. What if you had been spotted by someone, Team Rocket especially?"

"Sorry." She sighed. Ash cocked his head to the side.

"There's something else, isn't there?"

"No…" Beau replied unconvincingly. Ash put his hand on her shoulder.

"C'mon. You can tell me." Ash sat down on a rock. Beau fidgeted in place for a second before sitting on the pool's ledge. "I'm not mad, Beau. I'm just worried something bad is going to happen. You guys are my responsibility."

"I know." She nodded, staring at her bare feet. After a few more seconds, she said: "It wasn't just because I was drying up. I wanted to get out of there. I wanted to be alone for a bit." She finally looked up at Ash. "I don't know if I can do this. I feel so useless."

"You're not useless." Ash shook his head.

"Oh, right. Because I can do this." Beau took in a deep breath before spitting a stream of water out of her mouth off of the side of the mountain. The trail of water ended and she wiped her mouth. "That's really helpful there."

"There are no useless Pokemon. Every last one has an inner strength that just needs to be brought out." Ash said. "Much like us. You just need to bring out your power."

"How?" Beau asked. "All I can do is act like a living fountain."

"Don't worry about it. We'll schedule some time to work on it, okay? Just you and me. We'll find your strength together."

"Really?"

"Yeah." Ash nodded. Beau's mouth twisted up into a smile.

"Thanks, Master."

"You know what? Let's make a deal. I'll help you if you won't call me Master anymore."

"I'll try, Mast…I'll try, Ash." Beau said.

"Good. Now let's head back to the Maw before Brock suffers a meltdown." Ash got up and Beau followed suit. Yuki was sitting on a nearby rock and she stood up as the duo came close to her. She didn't say a single word, but pointed behind her. Ash followed her finger and saw Gene standing a few yards away, watching them. He snorted before turning and disappearing from sight, returning to Seviper's Maw.

"How long has he been there?" Beau asked, suddenly embarrassed.

"Not long." Yuki said. "Just long enough to watch you two talk."

"Is it really that hard to follow simple directions?" Ash sighed. "Don't leave the valley. That's all I asked."

"I suggest you have a talk with him when we return." Yuki said.

"I think I will." Ash sighed and the three hybrids returned to Seviper's Maw. Upon entering the valley again, Brock was hunched over, panting wildly. Ash smiled and walked up to him. "Hey, buddy. How's it going?"

"How do you keep up with them all?" He asked, trying to catch his breath.

"It's all about planning, Brock. And being part Pokemon helps too."

"Speaking of which, James is back. He's waiting for you up on the ridge."

"Okay, thanks." Ash nodded, patting Brock's back. "Sit down and take a breather."

"Gladly." Brock sat down quickly as Ash headed up to the rock wall surrounding the valley. Sure enough, James was standing a little ways away, watching Cole and Nathan continue to go at each other. Ash hurried over to him. James turned to see Ash approach, then went back to watching the sparring match.

"How are they doing?" He asked.

"Better than anticipated, actually. They're still rookie league material, but I think by the end of the week, they should be pretty competent fighters."

"Good." Was all James said.

"How was…uh…you know…?" Ash stumbled through his words.

"It's a gravesite." James said. "It's the same as it was three days ago."

"Right." Ash said in agreement. "I'm glad you decided to go see her today." James didn't respond. The two boys stared at the group for a few minutes before James spoke up.

"I only count nine people." He said. "Where's Gene?"

"Goddamn it!" Ash yelled angrily. "This is getting out of hand! If he left the valley, I will personally…"

"Personally what?" A voice to their right asked. Both Ash and James turned to see Gene standing by them. His three tails were twitching nervously.

"Never mind. What are you doing here, Gene?"

"I actually want to talk to you two. Is now an okay time? It's kind of important."

"Uh...sure." Ash said. Seeing the large, intimidating man acting so nervous was confusing him. "What's the problem?"

"I've been hiding something from you guys. I was worried about revealing it before I knew your true motives. But after seeing you with Beau earlier, I know now that you're the real deal. I think I can trust you with this." He took a deep breath as Ash and James looked on in surprise. "I used to be a member of Team Rocket. I was a scientist with Project 66. I helped develop the virus."

"You did what?!" Ash exclaimed.

"When I realized what he was planning to do with the virus, I expressed my discomfort with the position. I thought that I would probably be fired, but I wasn't aware that some more…severe consequences were in order." He gestured to his current state. "I was thrown in with the other experiments until your friend Amy rescued me." He sighed. "I would appreciate it if you didn't mention this to the others. I fear I will be ostracized."

"I understand." Ash nodded. "Don't worry; we've all done things we're not proud of. We won't hold this against you."

"Thanks, but acceptance wasn't my main reason for bringing this up. I have some information on the virus that you may want to know."

"Really?" James asked, his interest piqued. "What is it?"

"Giovanni is almost done with the final stage of the virus." Gene said, lowering his voice. "He's making it waterborne."

"Waterborne?" James repeated.

"Yes, the virus can be transmitted through the ingestion or absorption of water."

"So all he has to do is get cups of this tainted water to give to his soldiers and they will become hybrids without any kind of operation?" Ash asked, whistling. "Easy way to build an army."

"Well…that's one use for it, I guess." Gene looked at them quizzically and they shared the look with him. _Did they not know?_ "You guys do know what you are, right?"

"Yeah," James said, "we're Giovanni's test subjects. A couple of reject hybrids that were given an inferior strain of the virus."

"Is that really what you think?" Gene asked in surprise. "That's not it at all! You two are Giovanni's greatest triumph!"

"Wha?" Ash asked, tilting his head to the side in confusion.

"You don't have an inferior strain of the virus; you have the finished product! Giovanni considers you his prized possessions…the culmination of all his efforts!"

"That makes no sense!" Ash said. "Our version of the virus was destroying us from the inside! Turning us into out-of-control, primal, wild Pokemon!"

"Yeah!" James interjected. "Why would Giovanni possibly want to give that to his Rockets? You can't create super soldiers with…" the words died in James' throat and his eyes widened. "Holy shit."

"What?" Ash asked.

"Oh my God, Ash, that's it!" James turned to face Ash. "Giovanni isn't going to give this to his Rockets; he's going to give it to everyone else! Turning people into Pokemon was the plan all along! He's not creating an army, he's creating weapons!"

"Weapons?" Ash asked weakly. "You mean…he's going to use the virus to turn regular people into wild Pokemon?"

"Exactly! And then, all he has to do is capture them in Pokeballs and they will fall under Team Rocket's control! And now that he has made the virus waterborne, all he has to do is dump it into the Violet Isle water supply and…"

"…And turn everyone on the islands into wild Pokemon." Ash finished, running a hand through his hair. "Oh, fuck."

"You hit the nail on the head." Gene nodded.

"How long until he launches the waterborne virus?" Ash asked hurriedly.

"I don't know, but it can't be much longer." Gene played with his horns subconsciously. "This has been going on for a long time, you know. It all started with Giovanni's great grandfather Salazar. Team Rocket was actually built as a front for the virus program. What better way to hide something so major and sinister than behind the guise of a bumbling criminal organization?"

"Oh man…" Ash groaned. "This is too much for me to process."

"We need to round everyone up." James suggested. "I think our training time just got cut short."

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All the new recruit hybrids were whispering to each other in confused tones as they headed back to the library. There was still another two hours of sunlight left in the day and they had trained long into the night before returning the last few nights. They had tried to get Ash to tell them what was wrong, but the young man kept insisting they wait until they were at the library.

Upon returning, Ash was approached by Misty and Amy, who were holding several papers in their arms. Ash gestured for Brock to lead the others to the main common room and wait for him. Brock nodded and escorted the ten Hybrids out of the room. Ash stepped up to Misty with James behind him.

"I hope you have some good news for me." Ash said glumly.

"We sure do." Amy said. "We found out what base Zelda refers to. Misty has the paper for you."

"Really?" Ash asked. "Perfect! I knew I could count on you two!" Ash leaned in, gave Misty a quick kiss of the cheek, and took the paper.

"Yeah, but you may not like what you read." Misty replied.

"What do you mean?" Ash asked. His eyes gazed down the paper and began to read the words written across it. James looked over his shoulder and read along. After a few minutes of searching, Ash's eyes opened wide. "What? The Opal Town hospital?"

"Where we were held after being kidnapped." Misty nodded. "And where you were experimented on."

"That makes no sense." Ash said. "Didn't it get overrun with police?"

"Yeah, that's what's confusing me too." Misty sighed. "Officer Jenny even gave a report on the raid."

"Yeah, didn't she say it was just a small operation?" Ash asked. Misty nodded again.

"Bullshit." James huffed. "That place we not a 'small operation' at all. I was there for over a year. I can vouch for that."

"Then this doesn't add up." Amy spoke up. "Someone isn't telling the truth."

"I trust Jessie." James growled at her. "She wasn't lying to me."

"Then it's Officer Jenny. But why would she say it if it wasn't true?"

"Probably because it wasn't Officer Jenny." Ash said. The other stared at him quizzically. "It was an imposter."

"An imposter?" Misty asked. Then a thought came to her mind. "Clayton."

"Exactly." Ash agreed. "Jenny attacks the base, Clayton kills her and takes her persona. Then he can call off the squad and make up whatever story he wanted."

"He's had over a month to relocate then." Misty asked. "Why wouldn't he?"

"Why should he? What better place to hide than a police crime scene?" Ash asked. "Who would think to look there of all places? Clayton could keep the other officers out of the loop and by the time they figure it out, it would be too late."

"Too late?" Amy interjected. "What do you mean too late?" Ash bit his lip.

"I have an announcement to make." He sighed. "This is worse than we anticipated. Follow me to the common room and I'll let everyone know what's going on." He turned and walked the rest of the way to the basement of the library. Misty and Amy shot worried glances at each other before turning to follow him and James.

The main room of the basement was tightly packed. Since there weren't enough rooms for everyone, the floor was littered with sleeping bags and cots. The murmuring and whispering ended as Ash entered the room and all eyes turned toward him. Ash looked among the crowd. Everyone was here, even Bill. He let Misty, May and James move into the room before beginning.

"I want to start by saying just how well you're all doing so far. You've come leaps and bounds since we started and I wish there was enough time to hone your skills better. But there isn't. We've run into an unfortunate snag in our time schedule." Ash took a deep breath. "We just found out Giovanni's master plan. He's going to use a waterborne strain of the hybrid virus to turn all of the Violet Isle into wild Pokemon.""WHAT?!" Came a shocked chorus from the audience.

"Are you serious?" Nathan asked, his eyes wide.

"That's unreal!" Oliver spoke up.

"He can't do that!" Seth cried out.

"I have family on these islands!" Kit shouted, putting a hand over her mouth.

"Those bastards!" Sonny growled loudly, clenching his fists.

"Calm down!" Ash yelled over the din of exclamations, holding his hands in the air. "We need to keep a cool head about this! Panic is our worst enemy!" The shouts diminished and Ash dropped his hands. "Now, we don't know when Giovanni's final virus will be ready for distribution, nor do we know when he'll use it. But we know where he is. That's why we need to strike as quickly as possible."

"How quickly?" Laila asked.

"We leave for Opal Town tomorrow morning." Ash said, eliciting a chorus of gasps. "We'll reach our destination by nightfall and that's when we'll attack."

"Tomorrow night?" Cole asked, still wearing his blindfold. "We can't! We're not ready yet!"

"I know. But we don't have a choice. We can't allow Giovanni to go through with his plan." He looked around the room. "If there's anyone who wants out, say so now. I'll understand perfectly if you choose to leave. But we need to decide now who's going to come with us so we can create a battle strategy." All the hybrids looked at one another wearily, but no one got up to leave. "No?" Ash asked, giving them one last chance. When no one came forth, Ash nodded. "All right then. I'm glad you all chose to stay. It means a lot to me." He gave them a quick smile before succumbing to seriousness again. "Now, I hope you're all prepared for a long night. We have a lot to think about and a lot to do so we can be ready. Tomorrow, we're going to finish this."

He backed away from the front of the room, and James walked up in his place. "Because I used to work there, I know the layout of the building and all the best access points. We're going to want to split into multiple groups based on the individual traits and talents of each member and…" His words faded off in Ash's ears as he moved into the crowd. Misty immediately approached him and threw her arms around his neck, hugging him closely.

"I'm not ready to let you go yet." She whispered. Ash put his arms around her waist and put his mouth by her ear.

"Misty…you know I need to do this."

"We were supposed to have more time together." She said firmly, denial filling her words. "I can't let you go. I can't! What if you don't…what if…"

"Don't think like that." Ash said. "I'm not going to die."

"Can you promise me that, Ash?" She asked, her voice quiet but still able to pierce Ash's heart. "Can you?" Ash had no response. Instead, he slowly dropped his arms from her back and looked away, unable to meet her eyes. He shook his head slowly. Tears welled up in Misty's eyes as she reached down, grabbed his arms and brought them back up around her waist. "Please. Please don't let me go." She sobbed. Ash nodded and held her there as she stifled some cries into his shoulder.

To Be Continued…

* * *

**Outro:** And the big plot twist of the story has been revealed! I've tried to drop really subtle hints from time to time, but I wanted to keep Giovanni's final plan as big a secret as possible by portraying Ash and James as inferior hybrids. I hope I managed to surprise you with this one. If you saw it coming, feel free to let me know.

Also, the hospital/Rocket base raid mystery that was in the first Iteration has finally been revealed. A long wait, but it wouldn't have made as much sense if I revealed it earlier. Looks like all the plot threads are starting to come together, but there are still plnety left. I'm really looking forward to seeing how this Iteration is going to play out...should be very interesting.

And some of you may have put 2 and 2 together already, but for those of you who haven't, all the new hybrid recruits have been named after people who have reviewed this story multiple times. Some are obvious, others not so much. It's kind of a way of saying thank you to those who have stuck by this looooong story and shown me such support. Don't get too happy though, all these characters are still firmly planted in "red shirt" territory.

Well, thank you everyone for reading! Please leave me a review and let me know what you think! The next Strand will be coming your way soon, I promise! Until then,

- T.E.


	19. Irruption

** Intro:** Hey everyone! Wow, it's been a while! Almost a full month now since my last update. Sorry about that...unemployment is kicking my ass. You'd think more time off would mean more time to write, but it doesn't work that way. Go figure. Ah, well. I hope you like what I've managed to come up with since last time. I hope it's enough to satiate you until the next chapter! So read on...and don't forget: I don't own Pokemon or it's characters!

* * *

**Hybrids: Seventh Iteration**

**Strand 2: Irruption**

In the moonlight, the towering building that was situated a mile away from Opal Town seemed even darker than usual. The abandoned hospital seemed less like a bastion of healing and more like a palace of horrors. Dark clouds passed through the air occasionally, plunging the world into total darkness for minutes at a time. The clouds threatened to rain down on them, but the air continued to be crisp and dry.

Peering out from behind a large hedge, James surveyed the building from a distance. Yellow police tape was wound around the premises. He had expected to see guards or officers standing outside the building and was surprised to find none. He assumed it was because they were trying to maintain the appearance of being an abandoned crime scene.

"No guards." James growled softly. "I don't know if that's relieving or if it scares the fuck out of me."

"I can't imagine that Giovanni would be that cocky." Ash responded, peeping his head up next to his. "There has got to be something else here."

"Well, I don't see anything. Not even any cameras. I think we're safe right here."

"Yeah, you say that now." Ash groused. "Then in five minutes we're going to be up to our asses in Rockets."

"Actually, I agree with James." A third voice said and a redhead popped up next to Ash's, peering over the hedge like the two guys were. "As odd as that may be."

"Misty!" Ash hissed and grabbed her shoulder, pulling her down behind the shrubbery. He glared at her. "You're supposed to be staying out of sight!"  
"Oh, but it's fine for you and James to look, right?"

"Why are we even arguing about this?" Ash sighed. "You shouldn't even be here!"

"Oh, really?" Misty put her hands on her hips. "If Brock and I didn't come along, who would run Bill's Pokefinder?" She cocked her head to the side. "You need all the hybrids inside the hospital, don't you?"

"She has a point." James said.

"I know, I know!" Ash hissed, gripping the sides of his head. "It's just dangerous here, that's all! I don't like you being so close to this place."

"And I don't like you going _into_ this place." Misty shot back.

"That's different!" Ash almost yelled. "I've been augmented! Hybrids can take more than regular people! A bullet won't kill me and will heal quickly, but you…"

"Oh, give it a rest." James said quietly. "You two can have a lover's quarrel later. We need to focus on the here and now." Ash sighed and nodded. James was right. Now was neither the time nor the place to argue with Misty. She was here now and he would have to deal with it.

"Right, right." Ash said. "Well, let's call over the rest of the group. We should move while we have the chance."

"Agreed." James nodded. He turned back to the surrounding forest and signaled to a set of arced tress. Several moments later, thirteen figures dashed out from the shadows and joined by Ash's side, making a circular huddle. All the hybrids were wearing the same black outfits Ash and James were wearing. They couldn't all fit behind the bush and their attempt at hiding was immediately ruined.

"All right." Ash addressed the crowd. "We don't know how much time we have, so I'll keep this short. Everyone have their walkie-talkies?" There was a round of simultaneous nodding. "You should all remember the game plan, but I'll reiterate it one last time. Amy, Nathan, and Cole will be flying to the roof top and entering the building through the ventilation ducts. I want you to climb the walls and go with them, Yuki. Gene, Kit, Sonny, and Archie: there is a hidden exit that Rockets take to sneak in and out of the base. Gene knows where it is in the forest and he will lead you. Oliver, Laila, Seth, and Beau will enter through the emergency entrance. Misty and Brock are staying here and monitoring our progress through the Pokefinder. As for James and I…" Ash smiled. "We're headed in through the front door. Remember, wait until you hear the alarm before entering the building. Once we set it off, we'll have the full attention of Team Rocket and you guys should be able to move around relatively undetected." Ash noticed Misty's face sour at this comment, but he chose not to acknowledge it. "They don't know we're coming, so hit them fast and hit them hard. Stay in your groups and remember to stay on target: find the main laboratory and destroy the virus." He looked across the faces in front of them. There was a mixture of hardened resolve, fright, and excitement. Ash gave them a reassuring smile and put his hand in the middle of their huddle. "Let's give 'em Hell!"

There was a raucous shout of agreement from the others, who placed their hands in the center as well. Ash nodded and they broke away. Gene hunched down and snuck back toward the forest so he could get to the secret passageway. Kit, Sonny, and Archie followed behind him. Oliver led his group off in the other direction. Nathan and Cole each grabbed Amy by one arm and helped her into the air as they took flight to the roof of the building. Yuki was already gone before Ash could notice her. Soon, only he, James, Brock and Misty were left.

"Okay, James." Ash said. Now that the others were gone, Ash's confident demeanor diminished and his true fears began to show. "You ready for this?"

"Ready as I'll ever be." He said stoically. Knowing what they were about to try and pull off, Ash wondered how James could be so calm. Especially considering what he was going to do.

"Okay then." Ash took a deep breath. "Let's do this." He got ready to stand up when a hand grabbed his shoulder and pulled him around. He was about to ask what the deal was when Misty pressed her lips against his roughly. There wasn't time for passion or romance; this was simply a kiss of need. A need to savor what could very well be their last embrace. Ash put his hand on Misty's upper back and gave her back the same intensity. He could feel much of his nervousness drain into the kiss, the knot in his stomach temporarily unwinding.

They wanted to prolong the moment, but both knew it wasn't possible. As they broke away, Misty whispered to him with a soft breath. "Please come back to me."

"I'm not ready to let you go yet." Ash said with a half-smile. Brock patted the younger boy's shoulder and Ash nodded in his direction. Finally, he turned back around and got to his feet. James rose next to him and, without another word, they were both rushing off, hiding in the shadows as much as they could on their way to the base. Misty watched them go, her heart beating a thousand miles an hour.

_Please be safe._ Her mind called out. Brock must have sensed her apprehension because he put a hand on her shoulder comfortingly. Together, they turned to watch the small computer-like device that he was holding. The radar screen showed multiple blinking dots moving further and further away. Misty bit her lip watching the white dot she knew to be Ash. She couldn't help the sinking feeling in her stomach that told her they had just shared their last kiss.

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The dripping of a leaky faucet was the only sound in the locked room and the way it echoed loudly and reverberated against the steel walls was slowly driving Gary mad. He held his head in his hands angrily, unable to stop the slow, tortuous noise. He had tried many times to fix the faucet or just rip it out of the wall, but, much like everything else in the room, it was made of strong materials and Gary felt too weak to break them.

He had been in this solitary room for two full weeks and hadn't heard a single word about Lance, Bruno, or Lorelei. They could be dead for all he knew. He didn't even know why he was still alive. He assumed Team Rocket was keeping him to do what they did to Ash, but if that was their purpose, wouldn't they have done it by now?

The meager food amount they were supplying him was to keep him purposely weak and Gary had figured that out early on. They had taken his Pokemon too and that only angered him further. If he had Umbreon or Blastoise, this empty hospital room that doubled as a prison wouldn't hold him much longer.

But he was alone in here and was resigned to whatever fate befell him. For the hundredth time since his arrival, he wondered what course of events allowed Team Rocket to get such power as to pull this off. _It isn't supposed to be like this._ His mind ached from the painful thoughts. _There should be Pokemon battles and goofy blunders. Not death and destruction._

Suddenly, something caught his attention. A small noise that contrasted against the dripping of the faucet. It was coming from above him. He looked up and saw the singular grate that lead to the ventilation shaft. It was far too small to fit any normal person. Maybe it was a loose Rattatta or Furret. He squinted to try and make anything out, but the shadows of the vent were too dark.

Then a small golden object fell from the grate and hit Gary on the forehead. It was metal and, although it was small, the impact hurt. Gary swore sharply and sat up, rubbing his head. His eyes scanned the ground for the small object and finally settled on a small gold glimmer. He picked it up and his eyes widened. It was a small key and, if he wasn't had to take a guess, the key to his room. He grinned to himself and looked back up at the vent. _Well, it's about time._ He thought.

Gary tiptoed over to his door and inserted the key into the slot. He held his breath and turned the golden object. To his delight, there was resounding click. The door was unlocked. Slowly, he turned the doorknob and opened the door. Peering out, he noticed two guards facing away from him, chatting incessantly. Gary exhaled quietly before sneaking out into the hallway.

"Definitely Erika." The first Rocket was saying, his eyes possessing a dreamy, far away look. "She got that demure and shy appearance. Plus, there's just something about a cute girl in a kimono." He shuddered happily.

"Are you kidding me?" The other guard shook his head. "What about Flannery? She got that sexy hair going for her. Or maybe Sabrina…she has that dominatrix thing going on. She could probably read your mind and know all your inner desires." He grinned lecherously. "I would gladly be her doll, if you know what I mean."

"Oh, I know what you mean." The other man laughed. "Better yet, we could get all three together and…" His words trailed off as each man's head was grasped by a rough hand. "Hey! What in the-" He was cut off as Gary slammed their heads together, knocking both men unconscious. He let the two bodies slump to the ground as he dusted his hands off. That felt extremely satisfying.

_Now where do I go to?_ He pondered, taking a look around. He couldn't remember anything besides waking up in that room. The hallway was foreign to him. In fact, he didn't even really know where he was besides the fact that it looked like a hospital. He knew he couldn't dawdle for too long and was about to head off in one direction when he heard a shrill cry over the loudspeakers. Gary covered his ears in pain. _An alarm? What the hell is going on?_

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There was a stunned moment of silence in the main lobby of the hospital. Ten Rocket guards were staring in disbelief at the door that just flew off its hinges. A loud alarm was piercing the air, triggered from the sudden intrusion. In the doorway, Ash and James stood side by side, the building's light illuminating their figures against the dark backdrop of the nighttime sky behind them. James' right arm was outstretched, chunks of door still stuck on his claws. Collectively, the eyes of the Rockets went from the imposing figures to the door on the ground and back again.

"Sorry about that." Ash smiled smugly. "Is this a bad time?"

As one, the Rockets reached for the guns at their sides. A flurry of razor leaves flew through the air as Ash ran off to one side, flinging sharp projectiles at the crowd of guards. James hurried off in the other direction, jumping over and hiding behind a large yellow couch. The razor leaves cut through the air, arcing around wildly and managing to slice into the skin of several Rockets. Screams and shrieks permeated through the air, drowned out by the loud alarm.

With large automatic rifles now in hand, the panic-seized Rockets began to open fire into the lobby. Bullet flew through the air in every direction, striking into walls and knocking down pictures. Ash ran as far away from the ruckus as possible, hiding behind a massive square pillar that was helping support the floor above them. He panted heavily, feeling slightly drained from the sudden outburst of energy. He pressed himself against the pillar, slowly allowing the leaf count in his body to rebuild itself. He took a deep breath and ran out into the open again, razor leaves bursting free from his wrists again as he strafed toward the next pillar over. Four of the uninjured Rockets were waiting and they let loose a spray of bullets at him as he ran by. The leaves arced around in the air and collided with several of the metal projectiles. Ash dove out of the way and somersaulted behind the other pillar. On his way, he felt a sudden burning sensation in his leg. It wasn't until he was safe behind his blockade that he felt the stinging pain. His eyes wandered to his pants and he saw a hole ripped in the left thigh where blood was starting to pool up. He swore and clasped the bullet wound, trying to quell the bleeding.

He heard the men start to shout and run in his direction. His vines ripped out from under the skin of his back in preparation, but the shouts turned from vigor to fear followed by the sounds of flesh being torn apart. He could only guess that meant James was on the warpath. Several more bursts of gunfire rang out into the air amidst yells of pain. Ash got to his feet, his leg still throbbing in pain, and prepared to run out to his friends' aid when two of the Rockets came out from either side of the pillar, shoving the barrels of their rifles in face.

"Hands in the air!" The one on the right screamed at him nervously. Ash slowly began to lift his arms up, then grabbed a gun barrel in each hand, moving them so that that each Rocket's gun was pointed at the others' head. Ash's vines moved out from behind him and pulled the trigger on rifles. A burst of ammo fired out from each gun barrel, splattering the two heads apart from the force of the blast. Blood shot through the air as the bodies fell to the ground limply. Several spatters hit Ash on the face, but he didn't seem to care. Inwardly, he balked at what he had just done, but his mind shut it out. He would have time to feel guilty later. He reached down and grabbed one of the rifles. He popped out from behind the pillar, finger on the rifle trigger. There were two Rockets left standing. He watched James disembowel the one closest to him, then Ash took aim and fired at the remaining woman. The bullets tore into her side and she fell to the ground in a red mist.

Ash dropped the gun and grabbed his leg, the momentary lapse in action giving him time to deal with the pain surging through him. James wiped his claws on his shirt before walking over to Ash. "Are you okay?" He asked, trying to speak over the blaring alarm.

"Just got shot in the leg." Ash mumbled. "I can feel the bullet being pushed out. It hurts like hell." He looked up at James and frowned. The clothing around James' shoulder was stained with blood. "James? What happened to your shoulder?"

"I got shot too. Bullet entered and passed out the back. It's already starting to heal though, and I still have use of my left arm." He tapped his foot. "How long until you can walk regularly again?"

"Soon." Ash gritted his teeth. "Just give my muscles a chance to sew themselves up a little more."

"We can't take too long." James looked back at the bloodbath in the middle of the lobby. Bodies were scattered across the room, with arms, legs and torsos separated from the rest of the body. Blood and guts were splattered across the walls and floor. "I don't think we have the luxury of taking a time-out."

o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o

The inside of the secret underground tunnel that lead into the basement of the hospital was darker than it was outside and Kit had to set some tinder on fire so they would have some light to go by. The walls floor and ceiling were all made of steel and their footsteps echoed throughout the corridor. Gene led the pack with Sonny watching the back and Kit and Archie between them.

"Just a little farther." Gene said. "We're almost there."

"Good…I think I might be claustrophobic." Archie spoke up, scratching his arm.

"Suck it up." Sonny growled. "We're not here for pleasure."

"I just don't like being able to be cornered so easily." Kit said. "It makes me nervous."

"Just keep moving." Sonny said. "We can worry about that when it happens."

"FREEZE!" A loud shout came from behind them. All four hybrids whipped around to see two Rockets standing behind them with automatic rifles in hand. "Don't move or we shoot."

"Me and my big mouth." Sonny growled. He clenched his fists and stared them down. "I'll tear them apart."

"No, wait." Archie said. "You need to get close to them. Let me handle this one." He took a deep breath and exhaled sharply. From the back of his throat, a string of sticky silk shot out of his mouth. It flew through the air creating a web-like sheath around the ends of the guns, plugging up the barrel. The first Rocket shouted in surprise and pulled the trigger. The bullets ricocheted off the webbing and collided in the barrel, causing the gun to backfire and explode in the man's hand. He screamed and fell to the ground, his arms horribly burnt. The second man dropped his gun in horror and started to run away.

"Good one, kid." Sonny nodded. "Now let me tackle this interloper." He got ready to give chase when the Rocket stopped in mid-run. His body went rigid and he fell backwards onto his ground, dead as a doornail. Several sharp leaves protruded from his body.

"What the?" Sonny asked, then his eyes widened as Ash walked out from the darkness.

"Master?" Archie asked, walking up to him. "What are you doing here? I thought you were going in the front entrance with James."

"We got ambushed and decided to retreat. We then split up and decided to go with two of the teams." Ash said. "I hope you don't mind if I tag along."

"Of course not." Gene said from up front. "We could use the extra help."

"All right then." Sonny said, turning and rejoining Gene and Kit several feet ahead. "Let's get moving before more trouble comes."

"Agreed." Gene nodded and began to lead the five further down the tunnel. As they walked, Ash and Archie brought up the rear, with Sonny staying closer to Kit and Gene. Archie turned his head to look up at Ash.

"What do you think we should do once we're in here?" He asked.

"Well, this could go many ways." Ash said. "But I think we should head to the top floor as fast as possible. That's probably where Giovanni is and we need to take him out quickly." Archie got a quizzical look on his face.

"I thought you said our main objective was to destroy the virus." He said. Ash's expression darkened visibly. Archie's eyes widened in surprise. "Master?" He asked wearily. "A-Ash?"

"Damn kids." He hissed and pressed the palm of his hand against Archie's chest. A torrent of razor leaves burst through his sternum and out his back. Archie screamed in pain, blood shooting from his mouth as the leaves mangled his internal organs. The others turned around with a look of shock on their faces, unable to come to grips with what they were seeing. "Too damn curious."

Archie's legs gave out and he crumpled to the ground in a pool of blood. His eyes were wide with pain and fright. Blood continued to leak from his lips as well as the holes in his back. Ash smiled, and then his face and body melted into pink goo before reforming into a thin, gaunt man with red hair drooping in front of his eyes.

"Clayton!" Gene hissed fearfully. Sonny growled angrily, the knuckles of his clenched fist turning white. Kit's wide eyes began to water and her lip quivered. Archie tried to move his mouth to talk, but couldn't find the ability. Clayton sighed and put his hands on his hips.

"Killing little kids is so low." He said. "I almost feel like a heel." His lips split into a maniacal grin. "Almost." Archie's eyes rolled up into his head and he went dormant as the blood that was slowly trickling down his cheek came to a halt.

"ARCHIE!" Kit screeched. "NO!" She tried to run at Clayton, but Gene grabbed her arms and held her in place.

"No! He'll kill you too!"

"Bullshit!" Sonny yelled. "I'm going after this son of a bitch!"

"That's Clayton Arriami!" Gene cried out. "He's a monster!"

"A monster?" Clayton laughed. "I'm glad you heard of me. So you know that I can do this." With those words, Clayton's guise oozed into an exact replica of the bloody body lying at his feet. The new Archie gave the trio a thin-lipped smile. Kit squeaked, covering her mouth in a sudden rush of mixed emotions.

"Hey guys." Archie said sadly. "Why did you let me die?"

"Bastard!" Sonny shouted and charged at Archie.

"No! Sonny!" Gene yelled to him. Archie grinned, then shot out a long strand of web fluid from his mouth at the running hybrid. Sonny dodged to the side and the string whizzed past him, hitting Kit. She screamed as the sticky fluid coiled around her, covering her body so quickly, she couldn't even react. Within seconds, she was completely cocooned in the sticky web fluid and she fell onto her back, unable to support herself while wrapped up.

"Kit!" Gene yelled to her, but she couldn't respond.

"Well, that was useful. Here I thought this was going to be a pointless body to mirror." Archie said happily. Sonny, who was staring at the mummified girl, turned back to Archie with a snarl.

"Gene! Get Kit out of here and help her get free!" Sonny's eyes narrowed. "I'll take care of this douche bag."

"But-"

"JUST GO!" He screamed and Gene finally picked the sticky cocoon with Kit inside and hurried down the dark tunnel, eventually disappearing from view.

"Oh, you're no fun." Archie pouted. "Now I can only kill _you_. I was so looking forward to mutilating that Tauros hybrid."

"The only person that's gonna die now is you." Sonny shouted and, with a primal scream, ran full speed at Archie. Archie's smile didn't disappear for a second and he shot a string of web fluid at the Mankey hybrid's feet. Sonny jumped in the air, avoiding the sticky spray, and dove toward Archie, fist pulled back. Archie's eyes went wide as Sonny's fist made contact with the green face. Archie flew backwards, reeling from the powerful punch. He landed on his back, but quickly rolled backwards into a standing position. A large red bruise adorned the side of his face. He turned and spat a mouthful of blood onto the ground. A small white object fell out of his mouth and clinked against the ground. It was a tooth.

"You bitch." Archie snarled angrily. Sonny didn't stop moving and kept running at Archie. Archie suddenly morphed into a pink blob, then reformed into the shape of Scyther-form Klaus. He stepped to the side as Sonny threw a wild punch, and then spun around with a quick downward chop. The sharp blade of the scythe tore through Sonny' wrist, sending his fist flying from his body to the cold tunnel floor. The sudden shock of pain sent Sonny to the floor as blood shot from the wound where his hand used to be. He cried out in torment and Klaus stood above him happily.

"Still think you're going to 'take care' of me, punk?" Klaus asked. Sonny snarled angrily and turned his head around to face Klaus. The Mankey hybrid's eyes were glowing red and he propelled himself off his knees, diving at Klaus with a loud scream. Klaus' eyebrows rose up as he dodged to the side. Sonny's punches flew through the air wildly. He only had one fist to use, but he still managed to keep up a steady barrage of attacks. Klaus busily tried to block each hit, but the powerful strikes kept weakening him more and more. He couldn't even manage to get any attacks back.

"You! Bastard! You! Bastard!" Sonny screamed at the top of his lungs after each hit. The adrenaline coursing through his body was keeping him on his feet and preventing the pain from hindering him. But the wound where his hand used to be was still oozing a viscous red liquid at an alarming rate.

"You should slow down." Klaus said in between the punches. "You're draining yourself of blood. You'll pass out soon enough."

"Shut up!" Sonny moved around and brought his hand down in a chopping motion, catching Klaus in the soft area between the shoulder blade and the neck. Pain surged through all the right nerves in Klaus' body. He felt his legs crumble beneath him and he collapsed to the ground. Sonny didn't waste anytime and he grabbed a fistful of Klaus' hair. With a powerful yank, he chucked Klaus into the air. Klaus' body flew up and struck the metal ceiling above them hard, leaving a blood spatter on the surface. He fell back down to the ground, where Sonny was waiting for him. He spun around with a roundhouse kick and struck Klaus' falling body. The Scyther hybrid crashed into a steel wall before collapsing onto the ground. His bloody, broken body melted into a puddle of pink goo before reforming into the shape of a thin red-head. Clayton's breathing was slow and labored, blood leaking from his mouth and nose.

As the adrenaline started to vacate Sonny's body, a wave of pain surged over him. He gripped his wrist in agony as he dropped to his knees. The wound was starting to heal itself up, but it was still throbbing. Sonny took some deep breaths to calm himself down before crawling over to Clayton. His chest was still rising and falling, no matter how slowly, which meant he was still alive. He got up to Clayton and grabbed the collar of the man's black Rocket outfit. Clayton's head rolled back as the support of the wall left him. _One more seismic toss should finish him off._ Sonny decided. He lifted Clayton up slightly before feeling a sharp stabbing pain in his abdomen. He looked down to see a knife handle in both of Clayton's hands. The blades of those knives were firmly planted in his torso. Slowly, Sonny looked back up at Clayton's face. The man had a wild, maniacal grin on his face.

"Oops." He said, and then pulled the blades out of Sonny. He brought his arms up and sliced at the Mankey hybrid's face. Sonny let go of Clayton's shirt and leaned back just enough so the only the tips of the knives touched his face, cutting a thin line down the sides of his nose. He tumbled back in surprised pain. Clayton was on his feet almost instantly, where he then chucked each knife at Sonny. The two blades struck him in the legs, immobilizing him. Sonny closed his eyes and screamed in pain, rolling around on his back. He opened his eyes and looked back at Clayton, but he was gone. Only Ash stood in his place. His eyes were glowing yellow.

"You're done." Ash said and opened his mouth. A beam of yellow light shot out and struck Sonny's midsection. The man howled in agony as the solarbeam disintegrated his midsection. A sudden geyser of blood erupted from his mouth and he fell to the floor, dead.

Ash closed his mouth and cut the beam off. He looked down at his handiwork; the area between Sonny's knees and lower ribcage were gone completely, save for some scattered ashes. The two halves of Sonny's remaining body were cauterized and without blood leaking out.

Ash put one finger in his mouth and felt the gap where his tooth used to be. He frowned and dropped his hand. "I'm missing a tooth now. I'm no longer perfect. I hope you're happy." He said to the upper portion of Sonny. He kicked the corpse before moving on down the hallway. He was hurting, but he had to hurry up. There was still the matter of the Tauros and Ninetails hybrids running loose. He headed off into the darkness of the tunnel, leaving the two bodies behind.

o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o

"Well this isn't going to work." Amy said dejectedly as she looked into the ventilation pipe that was sticking out of the rooftop of the hospital. "These vents are way too small for us to fit through."

"Awesome." Nathan groaned from behind her, closing his eyes. "So now what do we do?"

"We must find another way to enter the building." Cole replied, scanning the rooftop. "Perhaps we can locate an alternate route."

"I don't think we have many choices." Yuki replied, sitting at the edge of the rooftop with her feet dangling off. "We could enter through a window on the side of the building, head to the ground and follow another group in…"

"…Or crash in through a skylight." Nathan finished for her.

"Wait, what?" Amy spoke up turning to face the Beedrill hybrid. Nathan was using one of his needle-like hands to point toward a large, lit-up skylight. "Are you seriously suggesting that we burst through there?"

"Why not?" Nathan asked. "It's one quick and easy way to get in."

"About as subtle as a Snorlax." Yuki responded.

"The alarm is already going off." Nathan shrugged. "All we'll do is add to the chaos."

"Nathan brings up an excellent point." Cole agreed. "The ensuing pandemonium can be utilized to out advantage if we seize the opportunity."

"It wouldn't hurt to take a look." Amy sighed and followed Nathan and Cole over to the skylight in the center of the roof. The trio looked through the illuminated glass into the room below them. A group of seven Rockets were hastily grabbing a bunch of equipment from a series of lockers, including firearms, Stun Sticks and body armor.

"I'm afraid I cannot hear them through the skylight." Cole stated.

"They're getting equipped." Nathan remarked. "Now would be the best point to crash their party."

"I don't know. We should really think this through." Amy said.

"Nope. That takes too long." Nathan responded. "I'm going in."

"Wait, Nathan!" Amy started, but it was too late. The Beedrill hybrid was already on the edge of the skylight and before Amy could stop him, he jumped into the air, wings fluttering. He held his arms out and the needles began to glow for a few seconds before two highly concentrated, sharp beams of yellow-green light shot out from the tips of Nathan's hands. They struck the glass and exploded into a bright light, shattering the glass. Shards of the skylight fell to the room below, showering the Rockets with sharp projectiles. They screamed, covering their heads with their hands as the glass rained down on them.

Nathan grinned and dove down through the hole in the skylight. The Rockets who could look up went wide-eyed in horror at the hybrid rushing at them. Nathan landed on the ground next to two Rockets and slashed outward with his needles, cutting one across the middle and the other across the face. The first Rocket fell to the ground, unable to control the massive amount of bleeding and the other stumbled backwards, still alive, but with blurred vision. Now that the glass had stopped falling on them, the other Rockets saw what was going on and raised their guns to fire at the intruding hybrid. Nathan let out a whoop and dove out of the way as a cascade of bullets struck the wall behind him.

There was a sudden swoop behind two of the Rockets, who turned in time to see Cole standing behind them, his wings folded up. He smiled and grabbed one man by the throat and swung him around, slamming him into a wall. The other Rocket yelled and she lifted her gun to the side of Cole's head, but the blindfolded boy's wings struck her hand, the sharp edges cutting her wrist and making her drop the weapon. Cole flung the first Rocket to the ground, then whipped around and grabbed the woman's shoulders. He sunk his teeth into the side of the woman's neck and she squealed in pain as the sharp fangs pierced the skin. Her eyes fluttered up into her head and the screaming ended. Cole suddenly withdrew his fangs and the Rocket collapsed to the ground. The man on the ground screamed in fright at the woman's pale appearance and he tried to go for the discarded gun, but Cole kicked it aside and planted his foot on the side of the man's head. The Rocket whimpered as Cole brought his leg up and slammed the heel down on the side of the man's head. His vision went white and he passed out from pain. Cole smiled, then his ears twitched and he shot into the sky as a hail of bullets littered the area he was standing in.

Nathan moved to one side as another stream of bullets pelted the wall behind him. Only four Rockets were left standing, but they had all moved to the middle and were standing back to back, firing shots. For the time being, it was nearly impossible to get close to them. Nathan tried to prepare another Pin Missile shot, but he couldn't stay still long enough to charge it up. He dashed away again, his agile movements allowing him to maneuver around the bullets.

The other Rockets all fired about wildly until a blast of wind from above them knocked them to the ground. They rolled about in surprise as Amy slowly descended to the ground, her wings fluttering and creating a powerful gust that struck the ground. Nathan took this moment to run up and drive his right needle into the back of one downed Rocket. He squealed in pain and convulsed several times. Cole dove in as well and landed on the back of another fallen man. He knelt down, pulled the man's head back, and bit his neck. The man screamed, then went pale like the other woman he bit did. He collapsed to the ground, completely dormant. The other two Rockets got up and ran for the door, but Nathan was already there and he skewered one of the retreating Rockets with his left needle. He shook the dead body off and went for the other one, but the man he had stabbed on the ground used his dying breath to grab hold of Nathan's ankle and hold him there. The boy angrily shook the hand off, but the Rocket was already going to the door. He entered the shadowed area in front of the door, and then his throat exploded in a gush of blood. His head rolled back and fell off his neck hitting the ground with a loud splat. His body slumped to the ground, blood still gushing from the open wound. Amy covered her mouth in disgust and Nathan raised an eyebrow as Yuki walked out of the darkness as if she was never there, her claws dripping with a viscous red liquid.

"When the Hell did you get here?" Nathan asked.

"Wouldn't you like to know?" Yuki asked back. She wiped her claws on her black outfit. She turned to Amy as the girl landed on the ground. "That worked rather well, if you ask me."

"Yeah, but let's not get cocky here." Amy looked around. "This was just the beginning and it was still a little close for comfort." She turned to Nathan. "We can't be so reckless in the future."

"Oh, c'mon." Nathan rolled his eyes. "If we hadn't taken them out now, it would only have been a problem in the future. If not for us, then for another group. I think we-"

"Wait." Cole held a hand up, his ear twitching. "I am picking up on something. We are not alone." He slowly turned to look at Nathan. Yuki and Amy followed suit. Nathan quickly whipped behind him and saw nothing but the empty shadows. He turned back around with a quizzical look.

"What?" He asked in confusion. Suddenly, a woman as black as midnight burst out of the shadows, her fingers as long and sharp as sword blades. She drove her fingers into Nathan's back, the sharp ends bursting through the front of the boy's chest. Nathan screamed out loud while rivulets of blood ran down his shirt. She ripped her fingers free violently, the searing pain dropping the Beedrill hybrid to his knees. She brought her leg around, catching the side of Nathan's head and knocking him to the ground. As she skidded to a stop for a few seconds, Amy got a good look at her face and she gasped.

"C-Cassandra?" She asked weakly.

"Hello, dear sister." Cassandra smiled. "It has been a while, hasn't it?"

"What are you doing?" She asked in horror.

"Why, I'm killing your friends." She said with a wry grin. She twirled her blade-like fingers around for a bit before driving them into Nathan's fallen body, eliciting another scream of torture from the boy.

"Stop." Yuki said simply, before diving at Cassandra. The woman smiled and jumped back, tearing her fingers out of Nathan's body again. Yuki swung her claws at Cassandra, but the woman was too quick. She jumped to the side and stuck her claw-like fingers into the wall, holding her in place. Yuki's eyes narrowed and she held her claws out. A light blue beam fired from the tips of her claws at Cassandra. The woman put her feet to the side of the wall and pushed herself off. The beam hit the wall and the area around it instantly froze solid.

Cassandra flew through the air like a dart, the seemingly stopped in mid-air for a second before dashing back down at Amy. Amy gasped and backed up, completely shocked. How was she supposed to fight her own sister? Cassandra hit the ground hard and slashed with her fingers. They cut along Amy's midriff, tearing her shirt and leaving gashes across her stomach. Amy squealed in pain and fell over. Cassandra laughed mercilessly and prepared for another slash, but Cole grabbed her from behind and bit down into her neck. Cassandra yelled out pain as his fangs dug into her skin, then brought her elbow back hard, slamming into Cole's stomach. The boy's teeth loosened their grip on her neck as he wheezed in pain, and Cassandra used the opportunity to duck down, spin around, and bring her leg up over her head, kicking Cole in the jaw. The Zubat hybrid flew backwards, crashing against a set of lockers hard enough to open several of the doors that were left ajar.

Not waiting a second, Yuki jumped at Cassandra, swinging her claws around rapidly. The older woman just smiled and used her sharp fingers to block and parry Yuki's attacks. Cassandra moved fast, but the younger girl was able to keep up enough to hold her off.

While using one of the open lockers to regain his balance, Cole noticed a small plastic bottle with a spray-nozzle top on the shelf. The bottle was filled with blue liquid. He grabbed it and turned to the downed Butterfree girl, who was still staring at her sister in shock. "Amy!" Cole shouted. Amy turned to look at Cole in surprise as if she had forgotten he was there. He tossed the bottle to Amy, who caught it as it came to her. "I believe it is a potion! Use it on Nathan's wounds!"

Amy nodded and got to her feet before hurrying over to the bleeding boy on the floor. "Nathan! Are you still with us?" Amy asked, shaking his shoulder. She was met with a resounding yell.

"Dammit, that hurts!" Nathan howled out.

"I guess so." Amy said quietly, the grabbed the potion and sprayed the liquid like a mist over Nathan's wounds. The boy began to struggle and thrash wildly. "Fire! My skin's on fire!" He hissed.

"It's a potion, Nathan." Amy said quickly, stroking his hair. He slowly stopped struggling, but kept his teeth clenched in an attempt to combat the pain. She set the bottle down by him. "You'll heal faster."

"She…she got the jump on me…" He said weakly.

"It's okay." Amy said sincerely. "We'll stop her." As if on cue, Amy heard a loud shriek that could only have come from her sister. She turned her head to see Yuki standing with her arm outstretched and Cassandra a few feet away, her right arm incased in ice.

"Is it cold?" Yuki asked. "Making your arm nice and brittle?" With that, she hurled herself at the Umbreon hybrid, striking at the iced arm. Cassandra had other plans, however, and dropped down to the ground. Using her good arm to hoist herself up, she launched her feet out as Yuki came close. She opened her legs and then shut them like scissors around Yuki's neck. The girl coughed as her airway got cut off by the dark woman's thighs.

"Normally I'd enjoy having such a feisty girl between my legs." Cassandra said with a smirk. "But sadly, the only head I have time to worry about is yours." She flipped back and brought Yuki down head first onto the floor. The tile cracked beneath the impact and as Cassandra opened her legs up, Yuki collapsed onto the ground, blood leaking from under her pink hair bun.

"Now to take care of this." She said, motioning to her ice arm. She ran over to the dark corner of the room.

"I don't think you'll be doing that." Cole yelled after her and chased her down.

"Cole, wait!" Amy screamed. "She's just like Yuki! She can disappear in the shadows!" Horrified, she realized a little too late the flaw in her warning. No matter how strong his other senses are, Cole is still blind as a Zubat and one of the only things you _need_ eyes to notice are shadows. Unwittingly, Cole followed Cassandra right into the dark corner of the room. She immediately vanished into thin air and an arm-shaped hunk of ice was left in mid-air, immediately crashing to the ground with a loud shattering noise. Cole quickly came to a halt, confusion settling in.

"What has transpired?" He asked. "I cannot detect her with my echo location! It is as if she has vanished!"

"Cole!" Amy screamed. "Come back to my voice before-"

She was interrupted as Cole was lifted off the ground. He coughed and sputtered, clutching at his neck as if something was choking him. He began to thrash wildly in front of him with both his arms and wings, but there was nothing to hit.

"COLE!" Amy shrieked.

"What manner of trickery is this?" He asked softly, his voice just a whisper. Within seconds, hundreds of holes began to mysteriously appear all over his body. Blood shot out in multiple directions as the boy's body seized uncontrollably from the impact of the strikes. Amy cringed in anguish as she watched Cole's body finally stop shaking. His limp form dropped to the ground into a pool of his own blood.

"Oh, God." Amy whispered.

With a light laugh, Cassandra walked out of the darkness, blood still dripping from he tips of her fingers. "That was delightful." She said, licking the blood off one of them. He stopped by the body and leaned down to remove the blindfold from around the boy's eyes. Dull white pupils stared up at the ceiling. Cassandra straightened back up before tying it around her forehead like a headband. She smiled at Amy. "I always did know how to stay in style."

"YOU BITCH!" Nathan screamed from the floor.

"Well, well. Aren't we testy?"

"You're dead, you hear me? Dead!" He shouted, trying to get up. The pain was too unbearable and he collapsed back onto his stomach.

"I doubt you're in the position to do much." She scoffed. "Three down and only my sister is left standing. You're not much of a threat anyway, Amy. I guess that means I should get going."

"You're…you're not leaving." Amy said, standing up. Cassandra watched her in surprise, and then burst out laughing.

"Oh really? And you're going to stop me?"

"Yeah, I am…" Amy said, trying to work up some nerve. Cassandra just looked at her with a smarmy smirk.

"Of course you are, brave little sister." She rolled her eyes at the younger girl. "Now why don't you just sit down, so I don't have to kill you. My only real target is the ringleader of your little party."

"Ash?" She asked weakly.

"That's right. Once I gut him like Magikarp, I can let you go."

"You are not going to hurt Ash!" She said angrily. "Do you hear me?"

"You don't have a choice in the matter." Cassandra shrugged. "See you around, sis." With that, she turned and walked into the shadows, disappearing from sight.

"Don't you run from me!" Amy yelled, tears streaming down her face. "Come back, damn you!" Suddenly, the shadow-covered door to the room swung open. Amy glared at the open doorway and ran forward.

"H-hey!" Nathan yelled. "What about me?" Amy didn't pay any attention and dashed right through the shade and out the door. Seconds later, Nathan noticed Yuki get up off the floor and chase after Amy. Nathan called out to her, but she wasn't listening either. The minute she hit the shadows, she completely vanished, leaving Nathan alone a room filled with bodies. The young man groaned before slowly using his arms to pull himself across the floor to Cole's side. The dead look in his friends' eyes sent his heart into his stomach.

"Hey…hey Cole." He said weakly. "You can snap out of this, right?" Nathan put an arm to Cole's cheek and found it cold. He shuddered and quickly lifted one of Cole's hands with his needle. "C'mon man…I still have some potion left." He held the bottle up and began to squirt the dormant body. "This should heal you. Go ahead and heal already." He continued to squirt the liquid until the bottle was empty. "C'mon! C'MON!" He shouted. "HEAL!" All Cole did was stare up at the ceiling. Nathan cried out in frustration and hurled the empty bottle across the room. The clunking sound it made echoed through the empty room. Nathan groaned and dropped his head to the ground in sorrow, finally letting go of his friends' limp hand.

o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o

Pandemonium was breaking out at the emergency entrance to the hospital as well. Bullets were flying all through the air and Rockets filled up the front room, all firing anxiously out the door. Outside of the building, four hybrids were pressed up against the building, two on either side of the emergency entrance: Oliver and Laila on one side, Seth and Beau on the other.

"Holy hell!" Oliver growled over the sound of gunfire and a piercing alarm. "How did they know we were coming?"

"I have no idea!" Seth yelled back, cringing from the gunshots.

"What do we do now?" Laila asked, concerned. Her bulb-like antennae were bobbing in fright. "They have us where they want us and they only need to come out here and then we'd be sitting ducks and they could shoot us and-"

"Calm down, Laila!" Oliver said. "We're not licked yet." He scratched his bone helmet in thought. Suddenly, an idea hit him. "I got it! Seth, you can turn incorporeal, right?"

"You mean when things can pass through me?"

"Yeah! I need you to walk through the wall and enter the room to act as a distraction. Just turn your whole body ghostly and let the bullets pass through your body."

"If I do that, I'll fall through the floor." Seth frowned.

"Then leave the soles of your feet real. No one will shoot there. C'mon, man! You're our only hope here!"

"Okay, okay." Seth held his hands up. "I just want you to know that thousands of bullets passing through you is very uncomfortable, ghost or not."

"Noted! Now go!" Oliver shouted. Seth took a deep breath and ran through the wall. On the opposite side, he saw at least twenty Rockets piled into the somewhat small entry room, all pointing their semi-automatic guns out the door and taking turns firing out the door in order to keep a steady stream. Seth took a deep breath, and then let out a loud whistle. All the Rockets turned to face him, eyes wide in fright. Seth stuck out his tongue at them. All the men screamed at the boy with a purple aura and began to fire their guns at him. Seth closed his eyes and let his body become incorporeal. The bullets passed through him as if he was never there at all, resulting in shouts from the soldiers. The boy cringed regardless, worried he'd give out at the wrong moment.

Suddenly, with no more bullets hailing out the main door, Oliver appeared bone in hand. He wound up and chucked the bone into the air. It struck the water sprinkler system attached to the roof of the room. It turned on from the contact and began to spray down a piddling amount of liquid into the room. The bone returned to Oliver's hand like a boomerang and he moved back out of the way. The slightly wet Rockets looked at each other in panicked confusion, not knowing who to concentrate on.

Oliver looked over to Beau, who had already started dancing in a slow, rhythmic fashion. As she moved, the water coming out of the sprinkler increased threefold, soaking the entire room. The Rockets looked up at the sudden increase of water.

"Run Seth!" Oliver yelled. The boy took this as his cue and he jumped back through the wall and out onto the ground next to the dancing Beau. Oliver nodded to Laila, who took a deep breath, then jumped out in front of the doorway, her antennae glowing. She held her hands out and a spark leapt from her fingers and turned into a full bolt of lightning. The electric streak hit the raining water and quickly traveled through the room, striking each of the soaked rockets in succession. There were screams and shouts as each man and woman fell to the ground after being electrocuted.

After a few seconds, the hybrids looked back into the room. Everyone was down on the ground. Water continued to pour out from the sprinkler, but at a much reduced rate since Beau stopped dancing. He tapped the ground lightly with his bone.

"I think we're okay." He said. Beau exhaled sharply and immediately hurried into the room, dousing herself in the water. She closed her eyes and held her arms out.

"Ah…that feels so refreshing." She said. Seth followed behind her and Laila followed suit.

"Do you think the sprinklers are going off everywhere else?" Seth asked.

"I don't think so." Beau shook her head. She pointed to the double door ahead of them, which had windows in them. "I can't see any in the next room."

"Well, I suppose we should dilly-dally then." Laila put her hand son her hips. She looked back and saw Oliver standing outside, looking unhappy. "Oliver?" She asked worriedly. "What's wrong?"

"I overlooked one thing in my plan." He sighed. He reached a hand into the room. When the water droplets hit his hand, he immediately withdrew it.

"It's just water." Beau said.

"Easy for you to say." Oliver grimaced. "It's not your natural weakness."

"I don't think a little soaking is going to affect you that badly." Beau smirked at Oliver's fear.

"I don't want to take the chance." Oliver said. "No offense meant to any of you, but I'm kinda the main fighting power in our little group. I don't want to risk becoming weak from a simple shower."

"Well, we can't stay here forever." Beau tapped her foot. "Every second we stay is a second closer we come to-"

"DANGER!" Oliver shouted, pointing behind them. Seth and two girls turn in time to see the double doors fling open. A large, blue-skinned man in a black Rocket outfit stood in the doorway, grinning madly. Wings adorned each side of his head and a long horn protruded from his forehead. His long tail swung back and forth excitedly.

"Ooooo." Lance said with a grin. "More funny people." He let out a loud laugh. "More targets to explode!"

"Watch out!" Oliver screamed to his teammates. Seth, Laila and Beau all ran to one side as Oliver dashed into the room, disregarding the water. He leapt at Lance, bone at the ready. Lance just smiled and stood in place. The bone made contact with Lance's face, a loud echoing crack penetrating the air as Lance's head swiveled to one side in recoil. Lance turned his head back around as if he was never hit, showing no signs of pain. Oliver's face screwed up in confusion. "What the-?" He asked and went for another strike when Lance grabbed his arm in mid-swing.

"Burn!" Lance shouted. As quick as lightning, he belted Oliver in the stomach with his other hand. Oliver doubled over in pain. Before he even had a chance to recoil from the hit, a green energy swirled around Lance's fist before forming into a green fireball and shooting right into Oliver's midsection. The large ethereal blast sent the boy flying through the air, crashing against the far wall before slumping to the ground. His burning shirt was quickly put out by the water, but there was still a large hole in the front. Oliver's exposed chest and stomach were badly charred.

"OLIVER!" Laila cried out, but didn't get any response other than his head falling to one side. Lance's maniacal laughter echoed through the air.

"Hee hee hee!" He giggled, pointing at Beau. "Pop! Pop! Your head go pop!" Beau stiffened in fright. _What am I supposed to do? Shoot water and get him wetter?_

"Don't worry, Beau!" Laila said angrily, her antennae beginning to twitch. "This guy's toast!"

"NO!" Seth yelled. "We're all soaked! You'll fry us all if you use your electricity!" Laila stopped in horror and what that meant. She turned to Oliver, hoping he would be getting up.

"C'mon, Oliver!" She shouted to him. "Get up! Get up, please!"

"Too late!" Lance said in a sing-song voice. "It's fun time! Time for heads to start popping!" He laughed again and it chilled the three hybrids to the bone. He narrowed his eyes at Beau. "Pop, pop, pop!"

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Giovanni sat in the control room of the hospital. He was not in the last bit pleased. This was not going according to plan. He had no idea how the annoying kid had managed to figure out where he was staying, nor how he managed to orchestrate such an attack on short notice. And he was so close to perfecting the water-borne serum, too.

"Clayton, Cassandra, and Lance have all been dispatched, sir." Captain Avarice said from beside him. Giovanni nodded solemnly. "Shall I disperse as well?"

"Yes. Find the kid and kill him. I don't care how."

"Yes, sir." Avarice saluted. "Any other orders?"

Giovanni sat in his chair in silence. He rocked back and forth for a few minutes before reaching into a tin on the table next to him and grabbing a cigar. He put it in his mouth and, after striking a match against the table top, lit it. He puffed out a few circles of smoke before responding.

"Yes. Release the rejects."

"Sir?" Avarice asked, slightly confused. "We have Rockets roaming those halls for the intruders. The rejects are highly unstable. They will not discern between friend and foe." He didn't see any change in Giovanni's appearance, so he continued. "They will tear up everything in their path, regardless of who or what it is."

Giovanni took the cigar from his mouth before exhaling a puff of smoke. In a stroke of coincidence, it was vaguely shaped like a skull. "So be it." He said simply.

To Be Continued...

* * *

**Outro: **Wow...I don't think I could fit any more cliffhangers into this chapter if I tried! So much going on...I don't know how I'm going to manage to tie it all together. It's absolutly crazy. Also, we have a few deaths in this chapter and, although I had planned it out in advance, it was still tough to write. I LIKE these characters! How did I become so attached to a motley crew that have only been in one other chapter? Jeez.

Anyway, I've been asked for the Pokemon races and revealed moves of the ten new hybrids, and I will supply them now.

Gene/Tauros - Strength

Archie/Caterpie - String Shot

Kit/Ninetails - Ember

Sonny/Mankey - Karate Chop, Low Kick, Siesmic Toss, Thrash

Cole/Zubat - Bite, Wing Attack

Nathan/Beedrill - Pin Missle, Twineedle, Agility

Yuki/Sneasal - Slash, Ice Beam, Fury Swipes

Beau/Goldeen - Water Sport

Laila/Chinchou - Spark

Oliver/Cubone - Bone Club, Bonemarang, Bone Rush

Of course, there have been some casulties, so you won't get to see the full arsenal of some of these characters. I am anticipating three more updates, but I honestly cannot be sure. I have a tendency to expand on a scene, especially a fight scene, more than I expect I will. Again, I apologize for being so late with this chapter and I hope you can forgive me enough to leave a nicely worded review. --

Thanks for reading! Until next time,

- T.E.


	20. Manipulation

**Intro:** Oh man. Okay, I suck. Seriously hardcore. It's been what...three months now since I last updated? Damn, I suck. Anyone who wants to kick me in the nads can form a line to my left.

Seriously though, I am really sorry for the massive delay. Unemployment really drained me and, with it, my creative impulse. I'm now employed again and beack to writing. I'm finishing this puppy post-haste. No more multi-month hiatisus.

Okay, on to Strand 3. It's a large one, (it did take me a few months to write it) so enjoy. If you need a refresher on what's happening, why not go back and read the previous 19 chapters? C'mon, it'll be fun. Note: In the last 3 months, I still do not own Pokemon or its characters.

****

**Hybrids: Seventh Iteration**

**Strand 3: Manipulation**

From the shadows of the bushes outside the hospital, Misty was sitting down, hiding in the foliage and watching the Pokefinder. Three new dots had appeared on the screen and three of the blips from their side had disappeared in the last few minutes and she was too stunned to say anything. Misty hoped to God one of them wasn't Ash.

Seconds later, Brock snuck back to the bush from behind another tree. He dropped to his knees and tossed the walkie-talkie he was holding into the bushes. "It's no use. No matter where I go, all I get is static." He sighed. "I think we can safely say someone is messing with the airwaves."

"They can do that?" Misty asked worriedly.

"If someone could generate enough of a disturbance voltage to mess with all radio frequencies, it would be pretty easy." Brock sighed. "Any other blips disappear since I left?"

"One more." Misty nodded weakly. Brock closed his eyes and cursed. "So even if we do see some new hybrids appearing we can't warn them."

"Yeah. We're effectively useless." Brock grumbled.

"Ash…" Misty whispered, placing her hand against the screen so her fingers could touch the dot she assumed was him.

"He'll be okay." Brock said, trying to reassure himself as well as her.

"I hope so." She said softly. Suddenly a new blip appeared on the Pokefinder screen. Misty and Brock centered in on it.

"Another hybrid?" Brock asked worriedly. Misty nodded. Then another blip popped up. And another. And another. Within seconds, seven large clusters of multiple dots began to move furiously across the screen.

"Oh my God…" Misty whispered as she watched the first mass of blips head toward the dot she believed to be Ash.

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"I kinda expected more Rockets to be coming our way." Ash said loudly as he and James made their way down one of the long corridors on the first floor of the hospital. His voice carried over the blaring of the alarm, but only barely. He was glancing around nervously. "The fact that we haven't run into any more groups since the lobby isn't as relieving as you would think."

"I know." James said back. "It means they know we're just a distraction. Which means they know there is more of us. Which means they know there are other groups."

"I don't even want to think about that." Ash sighed. "Well, we haven't heard anything from Misty and Brock yet, so there must not be a huge problem or-" Ash was cut off as the alarm immediately stopped going off. Ash and James both froze in place.

"What the hell?" James hissed. "They turned the alarm off?"

"I guess they realized we were trying to instigate panic." Ash growled. "Y'know, just once I'd like a plan to go off without a hitch. This 'one step ahead of us' thing is getting really old."

"Stay sharp." James said suddenly. "I think I hear something." Ash was about to respond, but he wisely shut up and listened. James was right. There was a strange noise. It kind of sounded like footsteps. Ash's eyebrows shot up as a large figure came stalking out from around a corner up ahead. It was tall male wearing only some ripped rags. His body was made of slick brown stone and his arms ended in sharp scythe-like blades rather than hands. He turned to face Ash and snarled menacingly.

"Oh, wonderful." James hissed under his breath.

"Kabu." The man growled in a deep voice. "Kabutops."

"It's another regressed hybrid." Ash spoke up.

"Well, I don't think one mentally unstable weirdo will be any problem for the both of us." James replied, raising his arms into a defensive pose. Ash nodded in agreement, but his expression fell as three more hybrids came around the corner behind the Kabutops. The first one was a short woman with blue skin, webbed feet and hands, a duckbill on her face and a red gem on her forehead. Next was a large bulky man covered in yellow fur with black stripes and a long tail drooping down from his backside. He had small antennae sticking out from his head that sparked as he walked. Finally, a young man with a hard, shell like body came into view, two pincer horns protruding far from his forehead. The horns were covered in thorns and looked able to grip things like a sharp vice.

"This could be considerably more of a problem." Ash said weakly.

"PINSIR!" The young man in the back shouted, pointing at Ash with his long, spindly arms and claws-like fingers. The other three screeched and charged at the duo as fast as they could.

"_Shit!_" James growled and jumped to the side. Unfortunately, the hallway was rather crowded and there wasn't much room for fighting or running. The hairy yellow man took a swing at James, his massive hand curling into a fist. James deftly dodges the first strike, then caught the second one in his hands. The impact of the punch was still enough to send James stumbling back a few steps, but he managed to hold onto the man's fist.

"Buzz Buzz!" The man growled in a deep voice before sending a large spark through his body and into his fist. The surge of power rushed out into James' body. The jolt managed to make him shake a bit, but it passed through his body harmlessly.

"When will you electric-types learn?" James sighed before yanking on the man's wrist. The Electabuzz hybrid stumbled forward and James drove his knee into the big man's gut. The man doubled over in pain and James let go of his wrist before reaching up, grabbing the back of the hybrid's head, and thrusting him down to the ground. As soon as he did this, though, a concentrated blast of cold water struck him in the chest, lifting him off his feet and sending him sailing down the hallway. He eventually hit the ground with a loud crash, his body soaked. "What the hell was that?" He groaned, trying to sit up. He looked over to the fallen Electabuzz and saw the blue-skinned woman standing behind him, glaring.

"Golduck." She said menacingly. James groaned and stumbled to his feet. It felt like all his strength had just been sapped out of him. He didn't realize a water attack would hit him so hard. His eyes widened as he saw a swirl of water start to encircle the woman's body and he leapt to one side as another blast of water flew by him.

Ash ducked and weaved from side to side as the Kabutops hybrid swung his scythe-like hands at him. The man growled angrily, frustrated at the lack of contact with his hits. For his part, Ash found it easy to maneuver around the attacks; it was very similar to his fights with Klaus and this guy was much more predictable than the Rocket captain was. Ash jumped back, dodging another slash. Two vines burst free from his back and wrapped around the rejected hybrid's wrists. The man grunted questioningly before Ash lifted him off his feet, swung him around and slammed him into the wall. Pieces of rock chipped off his body as he collided with the bricks. Ash swung him around again and the vines unraveled in mid-motion, sending the man flying down the hall and into the far wall with a loud crack.

Ash didn't get much of a reprieve because the Pinsir hybrid took the Kabutops' place quickly. The man lowered his head, the massive pincers opening up. Ash tried to jump to the side, but the horns clamped shut far too quickly. Ash's arms and chest were caught in the powerful grip of the pincers. The sharp barbs pierced his skin as the grip tightened, eliciting pained screams from Ash's throat. He tried to wriggle out of the hybrid's grasp, but it was too strong for him.

With a sudden jerk, the Pinsir opened his horns and chucked Ash into the air. Ash yelled as his body hit the ceiling hard. He came crashing back down to the ground, chunks of the stucco ceiling falling down next to him. With a groan, Ash rolled over onto his back in time to see the hybrid bend over, his horns pointing right at Ash. They opened up and started to glow a faint yellow color. The spines along the horns began to enlarge and get sharper. The yellow glow centralized along the inside of the horns, like a pair of ethereal blades.

"PINSIR!" He shouted and struck out at Ash, trying to catch him between the pincers. Ash quickly rolled backwards onto his feet, the horns just barely missing him. He took a few steps back as the hybrid recuperated from the powerful attack. Over the Pinsir's shoulder, Ash noticed with a grimace that the Kabutops hybrid was getting back up. He took a few more steps back and collided with James. They both flipped around to face one another. James looked past Ash at the Pinsir hybrid.

"I'll take the bug-man if you get the duck-lady." He said.

"Fair enough." Ash nodded. They split up and headed to their respective targets. Ash saw the female hybrid eyeing him angrily as he headed towards her. Then she was suddenly obscured from view as a large, fuzzy man came between the two of them and charged at Ash, screaming at the top of his lungs. Ash narrowed his eyes and lifted his hands up into the air. His wrists split open and two razor leaves shot into the air, flying up and sticking into the ceiling. As the Electabuzz hybrid got close, two vines ripped through Ash's back and shirt, then flew up and wrapped around the razor leaves. With a jump, Ash used the vines to propel himself into the air. The two leaves could not support his weight and quickly popped free from the ceiling they were stuck in, stopping Ash's ascent. He had gained enough air, however, to grab the confused hybrid's head and leapfrog over him. The man stumbled in shock from the sudden force to the back of head and tripped to the ground as Ash sailed over him onto the ground.

The Golduck hybrid glared at Ash as he landed and a swirl of concentrated water began to encircle her body. She thrusted her webbed hands out and the swirl formed into one singular blast and shot at Ash. The boy quickly ducked his head down and the blast passed by overhead, striking the back of the rising Electabuzz and knocking him back down to the ground.

Ash's vines stretched out and wrapped around the woman's wrists. She struggled against Ash's power, but he held strong. He pulled hard with the vines and the woman stumbled forward and into Ash's fist. She doubled over in pain and Ash slammed his elbow into the back of her head, sending her to the ground.

James swiped his claws furiously at the retreating Pinsir hybrid, who snarled and swung his arms about as he tried to ward the attacker off. "What's wrong?" James taunted angrily. "Can't handle the pressure?"

"PINSIR!" The hybrid screeched, and his back hit the far wall. James smiled and drove both of his claws into the man's chest. The hybrid screeched in pain as blood started to run down his body from the two wounds in his torso. It thrashed about wildly as the red rivulets flowed down to his feet.

James grinned darkly, but his expression faded as he saw the Kabutops hybrid jump up from behind the Pinsir and leap over its head at James, scythes in strike position. With a curse, James roughly pulled his claws free from the shelled body of the bug hybrid and jumped back quickly. The Kabutops landed where James used to be, swinging his arm around. The tips of the scythes caught James' body, leaving two long cuts along his chest. James stumbled back and fell to the ground. The Kabutops hybrid charged forward and swung his scythes down at the fallen man. James quickly brought his claws up and blocked the hits as quick as he could.

"Fuck! Ash!" He yelled. Ash turned quickly and saw James' predicament. He held his hands out and a torrent of razor leaves burst free from his wrists striking the Kabutops from the side and sending it stumbling back from the hits. The Pinsir had managed to recover by now and was charging at James, head down and horns split apart, ready to clamp down. They radiated a faint yellow aura, turning into a ghostly blades along the inside of the pincers. James quickly grabbed the dazed Kabutops hybrid by the arm and pulled him out in the way, pushing him into the Pinsir's way. Caught off-guard, the Pinsir hybrid clamped his pincers shut quickly and violently. There was an explosion of blood as the ethereal yellow blades sliced right through the Kabutops' midsection. It screeched for only a second before it died, the top half falling to the ground seconds before the legs gave out and the bottom half crumpled as well. The blood that coated the Pinsir's horns dripped down over the irate hybrid's face.

"One down!" James shouted to Ash. Ash nodded and turned back to the Golduck girl, who was struggling to her feet. Ash's vines came up and prepared to strike at her like whips, until Ash saw something out of the corner of his eyes. With a quick movement, he stepped out of the way as the lumbering Electabuzz hybrid tore by him, lightning-infused fists swinging wildly. It stopped just seconds before colliding with the Golduck hybrid. He turned around quickly and his eyes widened when he saw the bright yellow glow in his eyes.

"You're toast!" Ash yelled and opened his mouth wide. A concentrated beam of light fired out and tore right through both hybrids. The Electabuzz's eyes rolled into his head as the beam died out, leaving a massive cauterized hole through his chest. The large hybrid collapsed to the ground, dead. The Golduck hybrid was already on the ground, the upper part of her chest and neck vaporized. Her head was lying a few feet away, the bottom sections singed and burned. Ash felt some bile and vomit in his throat, but pushed it away easily.

"T-two down!" He shouted back at James.

"Show-off." James growled to himself as he continued to fight with the Pinsir hybrid. The bug man snarled and snapped his pincers at James. James took a step back and held his hands at his sides. A flurry of sand started to build around his feet before flying through the air into the Pinsir's eyes. The hybrid screeched and stood up straight, clawing at his face. James dove forward and drove his right claws deep into the man's skull, right between his eyes. The Pinsir screeched in torturous pain. Spurts of blood shot out against his face, but James didn't care. He quickly twisted his hand ninety degrees, tearing a hole in the creature's face. It's body went stiff and rigid before sliding off the claws and falling backwards onto the cold ground.

James took a few deep breaths before wiping his claws on his pants. "Good fucking riddance." He growled.

"Oh man." Ash sighed, bending over to catch his breath. "Where did those things come from?"

"I don't know, but I bet there's more." He motioned to Ash to stand up. "Come on. We need to hurry."

"Wait a second. Don't you think we should try and figure this shit out?" Ash asked. "What if we run right into another group?"

"We fight it out." James said simply. "Time is running out and I'm not letting Giovanni escape again. The staircase to his office should be close to here. Let's get going."

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Misty sighed in relief as the four new blips disappeared from the screen. The other groups were still running around like mad, but they weren't near any of the teams. At least not yet, anyway. "He's safe." She whispered just loud enough for herself to hear.

"What now?" Brock asked. "Do we just stay here and pray?"

"I don't know. We need to warn the others somehow." Misty groaned. "Is there anyway we can unjam the signal, or something?"

"I don't think it works that way." Brock shook his head. "We'd need to find the source of whatever's creating the disturbance."

"I don't think you'll be doing that." Said a gruff voice from behind them. Misty and Brock quickly flipped around to see a Rocket grunt holding a pistol that was aimed right at them. "I think you'll be coming with me now."

"Oh, shit." Misty said softly, backing up from the gun's barrel. The man motioned with his gun barrel for her to get close together to Brock.

"No funny business, understand?" He said. His eyes caught Brock moving for a rock and he quickly swiveled around to aim his gun. He fired and blasted a hole in the ground where the rock was. Brock recoiled quickly. "Oi! Didn't you hear me? I said no funny bus-" He was cut off as Misty scooped up a stone and chucked it at the Rocket, hitting him in the temple. He yelled out in pain and stumbled back, clutching his forehead. "You bitch!" He snarled angrily, striding up to her. His knuckles went white as he tightly gripped the handle of the pistol. "You're gonna pay for that!" He brought the butt of the gun down in a rapid arc. Misty quickly brought her arm up. It was fast enough to block the strike, but the Rocket grunt was still able to knock her to her back with the force of the hit. The man went in for a second blow, but collapsed to the ground as Brock smashed the Pokefinder over his head. The machine broke in two, parts and chips flying everywhere, and Brock dropped the two halves of the machine on the ground.

"I guess they know we're here." He said unhappily.

"That was close." Misty exhaled sharply. "Thanks Brock."

"No problem." He dusted his hands off. "But we need to get out of here."

"We can't leave Ash behind!" Misty exclaimed.

"Well, what else do you propose we do? They'll send more Rockets out to get us."

"I don't know, Brock. I don't know." She shook her head. "There has to be something we can do…"

"Wait!" Brock hissed suddenly. He crouched down in the grass and Misty quickly followed his lead.

"What is it?" She whispered back. Brock shushed her and pointed over his shoulder. She looked up and saw several light beams penetrating the dark sky. Misty knew they had to be using flashlights. They were looking for them. "Dammit!"

"We have to get somewhere safe." Brock said. "And fast. We're not going to be able to leave the premises fast enough."

"Let's go into the hospital!" Misty exclaimed suddenly.

"Are you insane?" Brock hissed. "That's like hiding from a weedle in a beedrill's nest!"

"It's the only place close enough to hide!" She rationalized. "We might be able to find Ash and he can protect us."

"No, Misty! This is stupid!" He crouched further as a beam of light went over his head.

"We don't have much a choice. Like you said, we need to go soon." She got down on her stomach. "C'mon…we'll go in through the front entrance. Ash and James have probably cleared it out by now."

"This is crazy." Brock grumbled before getting on his stomach and crawling after her. He took a second to stop by the unconscious Rocket and take his gun before following Misty toward the hospital's front doors. "So fucking crazy."

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Endless torrents of water rained down on Beau as she tried in vain to dodge the rapid attacks from Lance, who was swiping his hands at her like a deranged monster. It was almost like a dance; he moved ahead with one foot, she retreated with the other. She was overwrought with fear, but she was almost thankful for it. It was forcing her to rely on instinct rather than thinking, and that was all that was keeping her alive right now.

"I want to crush your head with my bare hands!" Lance said enthusiastically.

"S-stay back!" Beau yelled back, unable to keep her legs from shaking. Her eyes darted over to Laila and Oliver momentarily. Oliver was still out cold and nothing Laila was doing was waking him up. She hoped Oliver would get up soon; he was their only real hope against Lance. Seth had gone for reinforcements, but she didn't know if he would be able to find anyone. Suddenly, it was back to the struggle at hand as Lance made another attempt for her with his hands. She jumped back quickly. She had been able to keep him chasing her for a little while, but she couldn't keep him occupied forever. She was already getting tired and she knew she would collapse soon.

"Oliver!" Laila was screaming at the boy's limp body, her voice filled with fear and worry. "Please get up! We need you!" But the boy didn't respond. "Oliver, please!" She wailed, shaking his shoulders.

"Laila!" Beau screamed suddenly. Laila looked up and saw the goldeen hybrid was backed up against the wall and Lance was right in front of her.

"Hee hee hee…POP!" Lance giggled and thrust his hand out quickly, grabbing Beau by the face. His hands started to shake and the girl let out a muffled cry, struggling against the tightening grip.

"Beau!" Laila exclaimed. She held her hands out and a swirling beam of water formed around her arms. The beams joined together into a large blast of water that shot out at Lance. He turned to face Laila just in time to catch a face full of water. He stumbled back and lost his grip on Beau who dropped to the ground, frantically breathing. Lance hit the ground hard, but wasn't down for long.

"That wasn't nice!" He exclaimed, getting up. "Now I have to take care of you!" Laila steeled herself for Lance's attack, but wasn't expecting two ethereal green dragons to suddenly encircle her body like a coil of rope. Before she knew what was going on, she was bound by the translucent dragons.

"Hey! What gives?" She wailed. Then she screamed in pain as the dragons started to constrict against her body, crushing her. The girl slowly rose into the air.

"Laila!" Beau cried out. She tried to stand up, but soon found a pair of swirling green dragons wrapping around her too. They constricted tightly and lifted her off the ground just like Laila. Lance howled with laughter as the ethereal beasts brought the two close to him. Once they were in range, he grabbed them by the throats. The dragons vanished and the girls started coughing heavily as air returned to their lungs. They tried to fight Lance, but their energy was drained from the twister attack. They didn't have the power to fight back.

"Now it's fun time!" Lance smiled and began to crush their throats with his hands. The girls grunted and cried out until they were unable to make any more noise. Beau's normally pale face started to turn blue and Laila's eyes rolled up into her head. Their twitching body parts started to slow and stop all together. "Pop, pop, POP!"

"STOP IT!" Oliver screamed, running full speed at Lance. The Dragonair hybrid looked down in confusion at the boy who was charging at him, his head down like a ram. He didn't have time to react before Oliver slammed his bone helmet into the man's stomach. The air rushed out of Lance's lungs and his grip on the girls throats lightened. Oliver reached up and cracked his bone weapon against Lance's elbows, causing his hands to open up as a natural reaction. Both girls fell to the ground next to Oliver, choking and coughing to try and catch their breath. Oliver wanted to check on them to make sure they were all right, but he didn't have time. He had to lead Lance away.

"C'mon ugly!" Oliver taunted and slammed his head into Lance again, knocking the big man back. The two girls took the opportunity to move away from the fight so they could regain their strength. "Let's see you do that to someone who can fight back!" He started to hit Lance with his bone. The hybrid didn't so much as flinch from the hits.

"Insolent pest!" Lance yelled, regaining his balance. "You die now!" He drew his arm around and backhanded Oliver across the face. Oliver stumbled back, but managed to keep his equilibrium. He panted wearily, wishing the constant spray of water wasn't draining him of energy.

"Is that all you got, you third-rate?" He taunted between breaths.

"No, I also do this." Lance said, narrowing his eyes. His body started to glow a ghostly white color. Oliver stopped in place and cocked his head to the side. _Now what the hell is he doing? _Oliver wondered. Suddenly, Lance yelled and the whiteness that covered his body washed off like paint and formed in a singular point in front of him. Then the point exploded into a massive beam of condensed energy that tore ahead right at Oliver.

"Fuck!" Oliver screamed and tried to jump to one side, but he wasn't quick enough. The beam was gone within a second, but the aftermath was readily apparent afterward. Everything in the beam's path had been completely disintegrated, including several chairs, boxes and a chunk of the far wall. Oliver's dormant body was lying face-down on the ground and most of both legs were completely gone. The ends of the small stumps that now jutted from his hips were completely cauterized.

"OLIVER!" Laila wailed, her voice still strained. Tears ran down the side of her face. "Oh, God no! Oliver!"

"Now, where was I?" Lance turned back to Laila and Beau. "Oh, right! Popping heads!"

"You bastard!" Laila screeched.

"You talk too much. Your voice hurts my head." Lance focused on her and the twin ethereal dragons wrapped around her once more. She tried to break free, but while the creatures managed to form a grip on her, her hands went through them like ghosts. Unable to stop the attack, she had no choice but to sit there, immobile. "You stay for now. You get popped next." He turned to Beau. "You first."

"No! Stay away!" Beau held her hands out. "I…I'm warning you!"

"Warning me?" Lance laughed heartily. "You think you can stop me?" He continued to get closer to Beau. The girl closed her eyes opened her mouth and shot a stream of water at Lance. The weak trickle barely slowed him down. Beau opened her eyes and saw the only thing she did was make his chest wetter. She groaned in defeat. She really was worthless.

"Beau! Run!" Laila screamed.

"It's no use." She whispered, closing her eyes again. "It's really no use."

"Good. No more fighting. Just popping." Lance reached for her face. "Let's see some blood."

"Oh, God." Laila whispered, cringing. Beau just bit her lip as she felt Lance's hands on either side of her wet face. His grip began to tighten and she felt the pressure on her head. Her frantic thoughts rushed through her head. _I don't want to die…I don't want to die…__**I don't want to die!**_

"Eh?" Lance asked, suddenly confused. In a weird turn of events, the girl's horn on her head started to spin. It slowly increased in speed and Lance cocked his head to the side. "What's with the spinning?" He asked her. Then, all of a sudden, a bright orange spinning cone of energy extended out from the horn and pierced Lance's chest. There was a distinct shattering noise and Lance's eyes opened wide. Several pieces of red crystal tumbled down out of Lance's shirt and crashed onto the ground. Lance looked down at where the gem in his chest used to be. Blood started to trickle down out of the corner of his mouth. "Smash?" He asked weakly. Then his eyes rolled into his head and he fell to the ground, dead as a doornail.

The ethereal dragons around Laila vanished and she fell back against the wall. Her eyes were wide at what she had just seen. "Horn drill…" She whispered to herself. Beau opened her eyes slowly and looked down at Lance's dead body. She gasped in complete surprise.

"What…what happened?" She asked.

"You killed him." Laila said in admiration. "Beau! You did it!"

"I did? How?" She asked, confused.

"You used a horn drill attack and got him through his chest! You even shattered that thing on his chest!"

"I didn't even know I could do that!" Beau smiled. Then she laughed out loud and threw her arms around Laila. The other girl responded in kind and hugged her back, savoring the tight embrace. Then she looked past Beau's shoulder and her expression fell as she saw Oliver's mangled body on the floor.

"Oliver!" Laila screamed, quickly pushing Beau away. She got up and ran over to his side. She dropped to her knees and turned him over onto his back. "Oliver! Oh, Oliver! Please don't die on me!" Her eyes trailed to the stumps were his legs used to be. Her eyes filled with tears. "What did he do to you?" She whispered.

"Is he okay?" Beau asked, hurrying over to Oliver.

"I don't know!" Laila cried. "Oliver, if you can hear me, please wake up! I don't want to lose you!" Oliver didn't stir. He remained perfectly still. Worriedly, Laila put her hand on the boy's chest. She couldn't even feel it moving the tiniest bit. "No. No, no, no." She whispered to herself. "Please, no."

"Oh, God." Beau covered her mouth with her hand.

"Oliver!" Laila sobbed, burying her face in his burnt and scarred chest. "I never…I never got to…DAMMIT!" She let out a scream and pounded his chest with her fist in frustration.

"Ugh!" Oliver grunted in pain at the hit. Laila immediately sat up, her eyes stinging with tears. She stared down at Oliver's face. His eyes were opening slowly and his face was screwed up in pain. "What the hell was that for?" He asked. "I'm in a bit of pain here."

"Oliver!" Laila yelled and threw her hands around his neck, hugging him tightly. He wheezed and grunted again.

"Laila! Did you miss the part about the pain?" He asked weakly.

"Sorry." She whispered into his collar. "But I'm not letting go of you yet."

"Beau? Where's Lance?" He asked the other girl. She merely pointed to the body. "He's dead? How?"

"I killed him." Beau said, a little bit of pride showing.

"What? Really?" He asked.

"Yeah." She nodded.

"…Really?"

"YES." Beau said definitively. Oliver decided to drop the matter and return his attention to the girl around his neck.

"Okay, Laila…I need to breathe now." Slowly, she let go of him and sat back on her knees. She wiped the tears from her puffy red eyes and smiled at him.

"I'm just glad you're okay." She said softly.

"Yeah, I'm glad you girls are okay too." Oliver nodded. "But we have to go. Help me up, will you? I can't feel my legs." Both girls fell deathly silent. "What?" Oliver asked. He looked down and his eyes went wide. "Oh my God. My…my…"

"He hit you with some beam." Beau explained. "It disintegrated your legs."

"You _are_ okay, aren't you?" Laila asked worriedly.

"My legs…" Oliver said softly. "This is unreal. I don't even feel pain. They're just…gone." He quickly snapped out of it. There would be time for that later. "Forget about it. Moving on is what's important."

"We'll help you get around." Laila said quickly.

"No, you girls need to go." Oliver shook his head. "This place still isn't safe. Just leave me here."

"No way!" Laila said. "We're not abandoning you now!"

"You damn well are!" Oliver growled, but the girls ignored him.

"Beau…can you find something we can use to carry him around?" Laila asked.

"In a hospital?" Beau responded. "What do you think? This is the emergency ward. There has to be a few stretchers or wheelchairs around."

"Stop it!" Oliver hissed. "As acting commander of this squad, I order you two to GO!"

"What are you going to do? Stop me?" Beau asked him, almost tauntingly. Oliver growled, but said nothing else. Satisfied, she went back to looking for a transport device. Laila turned back to face Oliver.

"Sorry…but we're not going to leave you. You lost your legs to protect us and we are going to return the favor." The boy just sighed and nodded in acknowledgement. Laila bit her lip and squirmed a bit before continuing. "Umm…Oliver?"

"What?"

"When this is all over…if, you know, we both survive and everything…do you want to go out to a movie…or something?"

"Huh?" Oliver turned to face her. "Did you just…did you just ask me out?"

"Errr…kinda." Laila blushed and looked away. Oliver gave her a funny look.

"We're in the middle of a dangerous espionage mission and you ask me on a date?" Laila didn't respond and just averted her eyes shamefully. "You are the strangest girl I've ever met." Laila's face burned bright red in embarrassment. Oliver groaned and set his head back down on the floor. He closed his eyes and let out a slow sigh. "So…what kind of movies do you like?" He asked her.

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When Gene finally stopped running, he was deep in the basement of the hospital. He found himself in a dark supply closet that was full of gurneys and stretchers. He listened intently, but couldn't hear anything outside of the door. Hopefully, Sonny won against Clayton, but he doubted it. Clayton was one sadistic son of a bitch and Giovanni had chosen him for the Project 66 program specifically for those reasons.

He finally felt it was safe and set the mummified girl he was holding down on a gurney. He had made little air holes for Kit, but it was still constricting for her to be wrapped up like that. Careful not to hurt her, he made small tears in the sticky string with his horns before grabbing on and tearing it off. Within a few minutes, he had freed her enough for her to help out. The string piled up on the ground and Kit sat down on the edge of the gurney.

"Are you okay?" Gene asked her. Kit just nodded numbly. "Are you able to continue?"

"I guess so." She squeaked out softly.

"Look, I know you're sad about Archie, but…"

"Please." She held up a hand. "Just don't say anything, okay?"

"Okay." Gene promised. "We'll stick with the task at hand." He stood up and headed to the door. "We'll wait here for a bit, then when we're sure everything's safe, we can-" The door suddenly erupted into flame and Gene jumped back in surprise. As the door crumbled from the intense flames, Gene saw a hybrid standing just beyond the door. He was a nimble boy with red skin and a long tail with a flame on the end of it. His fingers ended in long claws.

"Charmander!" The hybrid yelled at them, then charged into the room through the flames. Gene winded his arm back and punched the hybrid in the face. The impact was enough to send it back through the door and onto the ground. Gene knew this fight was far from over though.

"Kit! Hide under one of the stretchers!" Gene yelled to her. The girl obediently moved under the white cloth of a gurney and watched intently from underneath. Gene cracked his knuckles and jumped though the flaming doorway at the Charmander hybrid. The boy rolled out of the way and jumped to his feet. He took a deep breath and exhaled a mouth full of fire. Gene stepped to one side as the stream of flames shot through the air. He drew back and punched the boy again, slamming his knuckles into the side of his face. The hybrid fell back down onto his back. Gene jumped into the air and tried to land on the hybrid's body, but he rolled out of the way once more and Gene just landed on the floor.

"Stay still!" He hissed and took a swing at his opponent. The Charmander dodged it and scratched Gene's face, leaving long gashes down from cheek to cheek. Gene howled in rage and stumbled back. The boy opened his mouth again to fire out another ball of flame, but Gene jumped back into the fray and belted him in the stomach. The boy back up against the wall next to the burnt doorway and slammed against it hard. Gene took advantage of the moment and punched the boy's gut again. The Charmander hybrid squealed in pain and doubled over. Gene grabbed the hybrid's shoulders and tossed him against an adjacent wall, which he hit hard and slumped to the ground. Gene didn't want to take chances and rushed over to the body, picking it up and throwing it back at the wall with the burnt door. The hybrid's limp body slammed against the wall again and fell to the ground, motionless. Gene took a deep breath and wiped his brow. Then a hand grabbed his shoulder and whipped him around suddenly.

"Boo." Sonny said to him and punched him square in the face. Gene stumbled back, blood shooting from his broken nose. The Mankey hybrid jumped at him again, this time grabbing Gene's two horns, one in each hand. Gene struggled, but Sonny held him tight in place. "My horoscope always did say I was good at grabbing the Tauros by the horns." He smirked and made a quick motion with both hands in opposite directions. He used just enough force too; the horns broke off in Sonny's hands like icicles. Blood gushed out of the Gene's head as he fell to the metal floor, wailing in torturous pain. Sonny dropped the horns to the ground at approached Gene's flailing body. The man was twitching in a pool of his own blood.

"Clayton…" He hissed.

"Very good!" Sonny exclaimed. "You're really catching on!" Sonny's visage vanished into pink goo before becoming Clayton again. "You know, I told boss just to kill you instead of experimenting on you. But he wouldn't listen to me and now look. You just had to go and blab to everyone, didn't you?"

"Go to hell." Gene growled. He swung his leg around to try and trip Clayton. But Clayton was too fast; he jumped into the air and landed on Gene's chest. The Tauros hybrid coughed up some blood from the impact. Clayton stepped off of the man's body lightly and gracefully.

"Tsk tsk." Clayton shook his head. "Whatever will I do with you, you naughty little traitor?" He tapped his chin for a few seconds before seeming to get an idea. "Oh! I know!" His facial features melted into a goop before reforming into that of Voulger. His body soon followed suit. "You know this face?"

"Voulger Heimell." Gene said slowly. "I know the bastard."

"Knew. You _knew_ the bastard." Clayton corrected him. "And that's good. Because I'd like you to be fully aware of what happens next." He lifted his red arm up above his head. The metal ceiling began to shake and waver.

"What are you…" Gene started then his eyes widened. A large chunk of the steel ceiling broke away from the rest of it. Voulger swished his arm down quickly and the chunk of ceiling slammed down onto the ground at a high velocity, crushing Gene beneath it with a sickening crunch of shattered bones and immediately followed by a squishing noise. Then all was silent. The dust that was kicked up from the ceiling chunk finally settled. Blood began to seep out from under the metal slab and run along the creases of the floor.

"Now _that_ felt good." Voulger smiled. He turned back into Clayton before cracking his neck and joints. "Death is such a good way to get the blood pumping." He stepped up onto the slab and walked across it. He stood by the doorway and looked into the storage room. The flames had mostly gone out by this point. "Hello?" Clayton asked. "Little girl? Are you in there?" He was met by just silence. He licked his lips. "I know you're in there. I can see the stringshot residue on the floor. Come out now, and I may not kill you. I happen to like young girls." He grinned evilly. "Don't make me gut you first. I think we'll both enjoy it more if you are in one solid piece, don't you think?" He waited, but still got no response. "Fine. I guess it's the hard way." He began to step into the room when he heard a rustling from beside him. The reject hybrid was getting back up.

"Charmander!" It yelled at Clayton. Clayton just sighed.

"Salazar." He said evenly. The hybrid froze in place, then fainted to the ground, out like a light. "Fucking beasts." Clayton snorted. "Such abominations." He turned back to the room. "Now then, little girl. Let's have some fun, hmm?"

Suddenly, there was a crash from somewhere outside the room. "Oh? What is that?" Clayton asked. He turned back to the room. "You got lucky this time little girl. But I will be back for you. And you will know the true meaning of pain." Then he was gone, running after the source of the disturbance.

From under one of the gurneys, Kit began to cry to herself. First Archie, now Gene. She was truly alone now. She desperately didn't want to be here anymore, but she had no choice. She was stuck here and she would have to deal with what comes. But for now, all she could manage to do was weep for her dead friends.

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Unbeknownst to Kit, less than fifty feet away, Gary Oak was crawling through a small ventilation shaft. He grunted and groaned as he stuffed himself into the tight area, trying to make progress.

"This is ridiculous." He grunted. "It's a good thing I'm not claustrophobic. Are you sure this is the right way?" He asked his companion who was right in front of him. All he got as a response was a quick nod. "You better be right." Gary sighed. His companion shot him an incredulous look. "Yeah, I suppose you would know best, wouldn't you? Fine, fine; lead on." The two continued through the vent in silence and Gary prayed they would reach their destination soon before he has a chance to get stuck.

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Misty and Brock found themselves in the center of the main lobby. There were dead Rockets littering the floor of the room. Brock fingered the handle of the gun he was holding nervously. Misty was covering her mouth to keep from throwing up. The stench of blood was heavy in the air and the gruesome scene only added to her uncomfortable feeling.

"I guess they did make short work of them." Brock said. He turned to Misty. "Are you going to be okay? Do we have to…?"

"No, I'm fine." Misty assured him. She lowered her hand. "I'm fine. I was just caught off guard." She looked around the room. "Where do you suppose Ash is?"

"I have no idea." Brock sighed. "This hospital is huge. He could be anywhere."

"Well, we should get looking." Misty said impatiently. Standing around in plain view is a bad idea and I want to get out of this room as fast as we can."

"Fair enough." Brock said. "Let's go for this hallway here." He pointed to a small branch-off corridor leading down to the center of the hospital. "Damn, I wish I could remember more from our last time here."

"Well, that's as good as any." Misty nodded. "Let's hurry." The duo dashed down the hallway in an attempt to find Ash. Unfortunately, they ran into another problem altogether. And that problem was holding an automatic rifle.

"Oh Shit!" Brock exclaimed as they almost ran right into the Rocket guard, who was pointing his weapon at them menacingly.

"Drop it." He hissed at Brock. The man groaned and opened his hand up, letting the handgun fall to the floor with a harmless clang. The guard scowled and motioned the tip of his gun to the floor. "Down on your knees." He hissed. The duo reluctantly dropped to their knees slowly, frantically trying to figure out how to get out of this predicament. The Rocket's scowl eventually curled up into a smirk. "We're supposed to kill any interlopers, but since you two are unarmed, I think I will take you hostage. We might be able to use you for leverage."

Suddenly, the smirk on his face disappeared as he felt something tear through his back. A large spike drove through his body, protruding out from his chest. Splotches of blood landed on Brock and Misty's shirts, much to their disgust. The Rocket screamed in pain as he was lifted off the ground by the spike. He was quickly chucked against the wall, hitting it with a loud smack, leaving a blood stain on the wall. Both Brock and Misty watch the body flop to the ground in a lifeless heap, and then turned to see the bruised figure in the hallway, blood dripping from the spikes at the end of his arms.

"How's that for leverage, asshole?" Nathan growled at the dead body on the floor. He turned back to the duo on the floor. "Are you guys, okay?" He asked.

"Good timing, Nathan." Brock exhaled sharply. "That was close."

"What are you two doing in here anyway?" He asked. "This isn't exactly safe for non-hybrids. Hell, it's not safe here for us hybrids. You're lucky you've survived this long."

"We got ambushed outside and ran in here." Brock informed him.

"Have you seen Ash?" Misty asked worriedly.

"Not since we split up, no." Nathan shook his head. His wings fluttered a bit due to a muscle spasm. "He's probably still with James."

"I hope he's okay." She sighed.

"We can't stay here for long." Nathan said, changing the subject. "We can try for the secret path that Gene's squad used to get in here. You may be able to leave quietly that way."

"I want to stay and help Ash." Misty spoke up.

"I don't think you'd be any help where he's going." Nathan shook his head. "Sorry, but it's the truth." Misty shuddered at the implications of Nathan's words. Ash's last kiss still lingered on her lips and the foreboding feeling she felt afterward weighed on her mind. "C'mon, you two. Let's get you out of this hellhole." He started to walk down the alley and Brock and Misty followed after him.

"Nathan?" Misty asked eventually. "Why are you by yourself? Where's Amy and rest of your squad?" Nathan faltered for a second, but regained his composition and continued walking.

"I dunno. Yuki, Amy and I got separated." He said simply.

"What about Cole?" Brock asked. Nathan didn't respond. Brock's eyes dropped the ground. "Oh."

"I'm sorry." Misty said softly.

"We're getting close." Nathan said, switching the topic again. "Keep your voices low and maybe we won't-" He stopped suddenly and flipped around. "Get down!" He screamed and Brock and Misty immediately dropped to the ground. A concentrated blast of dark blue energy shot through the air, zooming right over Brock and Misty's heads. Nathan stepped to the side quickly as the beam struck the far wall of the hallway. The area that got hit immediately froze into ice. Nathan turned back around at the short man who was covered head to foot in shaggy, brown hair with two long tusks jutting out from where its mouth is. Nathan's needle like appendages were suddenly illuminated with a bright glow and then a beam of yellow-green light struck the man on the chest. The strike went right through him and blood splashed into the air.

"SWINE!" He howled in agony, struggling to stand. Soon he was joined at his side by a woman with bright blue skin and long leaves jutting from her head where she should have had hair. She glared at Nathan.

"Get up and run!" Nathan yelled.

"What?" Misty asked, her voice full of fear and confusion.

"The halls are filled with hybrids! You have to run!"

"What about you?" Brock asked.

"I'll cover your exit! Get the fuck out of here!" He yelled, then ran past them at the Piloswine and Oddish hybrids. "Come and get some, you rejects!" He shouted, firing sharp beams of light at them from his needles. Brock quickly got to his feet and helped Misty up before running off. He dragged Misty along behind him by the arm, who kept looking back at Nathan fighting before they turned a corner and he was out of sight. They could still hear some shouting and smashing and then, finally, a loud scream from Nathan before they were too far out of range to hear anything else.

"Oh, God. Nathan" Misty cringed, then felt something rise up in her throat. She covered her mouth. "I think I'm going to…going to…"

"Not now." Brock interrupted her. "Swallow it for now. We have to keep running." Misty silently obeyed Brock's instructions and started to fully run on her own. They dashed down the hallway. The hallway ended in a T-intersection with two dark corridors branching off in opposite directions. The duo came to a halt and looked each direction.

"Which way?" Misty asked.

"I don't know." Brock said earnestly. He took a deep breath. "Eeny, Meeny, Miney, Mo." He pointed to the right. "We go right."

"Good enough for me." Misty agreed.

"Just let me scout ahead a bit and make sure it's clear." Brock said and snuck off into the dark corridor. After a few second, Brock motioned for Misty to hurry up and run to him. Misty started to run forward to Brock when the ground beneath her started to crack and crumble. Misty shrieked and jumped back as the floor of the hallway broke away and tumbled to the floor below.

"Misty!" Brock yelled from the other side of the gap. He started to back up as the ground in front of him broke away. "Maybe we can jump to the floor below and…" His words died out as he looked down. His eye widened in horror. The hallway beneath them was flooded with reject hybrids. The mass of Pokemon-morphed people looked up at the two humans and many of them licked their lips hungrily. "EKANS!" One hissed from below and suddenly the mob began to climb up the walls to the next floor. Misty cried out if terror.

"Run!" Brock screamed to her. "Just go!"

"Be careful!" She yelled to her friend before running down the hallway in the opposite direction. Brock turned and continued down his path as fast as he could. The hybrids poured onto the new level like a horde of insects and chased after their potential prey, filling the corridors like a swarm of locusts.

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Ash was panting by the time James and he got to a service elevator. The toll of non-stop training and the darkness of night was hitting him and he felt drained of energy. "Are we…are we here?" Ash asked as he noticed James come to a stop.

"Yes." James nodded. "This is it. The only way to reach the fifteenth floor. That's Giovanni's base of operations."

"What if he's not there?" Ash asked.

"He's there." James said definitively. He took a deep breath, then hit the call button for the elevator.

"So this is it, huh?" Ash asked, numbly. He wasn't sure how to feel now and settled on an emotionless acceptance of fact.

"Yeah. This is it." James nodded.

"You don't have to do this, you know." Ash said. "We can find another way."

"No, this is how it has to be." James said. "We can't change the plan now."

"I know." Ash admitted. "I just…well, it's been a long and weird trip James. But I'm glad you were with me."

"You know what? Same here." James laughed humorlessly. "I actually mean that." Ash joined in, his laughter as cold and hollow as his partner's. There was nothing funny, but if he didn't laugh, Ash was afraid he might cry. The was a loud dinging sound and the door to the elevator opened.

"Good luck." Ash said softly, extending his hand.

"You too." James nodded, accepting Ash's hand and shaking it lightly. "Take care of your friends, will ya? Especially Misty."

"I will." Ash nodded. "Go give Giovanni what he deserves."

"He'll get double it." James assured him as he walked away into the elevator. "With interest." He pressed the gold button marked '15' on the side panel. "Now go find that virus!" Ash nodded again as the doors to the elevators closed. There was another dinging sound and Ash could hear the squeaking sound of the elevator ascending the shaft.

"Goodbye." Ash said weakly. He watched the closed elevator door for a few more minutes before taking a deep breath, then running off to continue his hunt for the virus.

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When the door to Giovanni's control room burst open, the Team Rocket leader was not the least bit fazed. He knew this was coming and it would only be a matter of time before James found him. When he heard gunshots followed by the screams of the guards stationed outside his room, he knew that time was now. He sat in his chair, smiling with a cigar hanging from his mouth. He relished the dark and primal look of pure rage in James' eyes. This was a beast of his creation and he felt a sense of pride at his handiwork.

"Hello, you son of a bitch." James growled from the doorway.

"Please come in, James." Giovanni said invitingly. "There are some extra chairs to sit in if you-"

"Oh no, you don't." James scowled, stepping into the room and letting the door slam shut behind him. "You are not going to act all nonchalant about this. You may be cocky enough to only post two guards outside your door, but you are not going to get any more chances to be smug." He held his hand up and showed off his bone claws, which were dripping with fresh blood. "From here on out, you know only two things: the pain of what I'm doing to you, and the fear of what I _will_ do to you."

"Well, someone's testy." Giovanni smirked. "I wonder why that is? Is it because you killed someone rather near and dear to you?"

James' eyes narrowed angrily and he picked up a nearby chair with a harsh, unworldly scream before flinging it into a wall, shattering it into hundreds of wooden splinters. "YOU BASTARD!" James screamed at him. "You have no right to talk about her!"

"I'm not the one who killed her, remember?"

"Shut the fuck up." James hissed. "You don't know a goddamn thing."

"I do know that there is someone here that is probably very shocked to here about who killed Jessie." He motioned his head to the side. James slowly followed his gaze. The was a man in the corner of the room, someone he did not originally see. He was old and sitting in a wheelchair. He had grey hair and looked frail and weak. He also was covered in red fish scales and had gills on his neck. Long whiskers trailed down from the side of his face.

"K-Karp?" He asked weakly, barely able to talk. It took James a second to recognize the face, then his eyes widened in recognition. His eyes narrowed into ireful slits once more when he wheeled back around on the Boss of Team Rocket.

"How long?!" He growled. "How long has he been like this?"

"About a year." Giovanni smiled darkly, like the maniacal grin of a serial killer. "It's rather funny when you think about it: things could have turned out much different if Jessie knew her father already _was_ a hybrid when she agreed to turn you over to me."  
"You…" James clenched his fists tightly, his knuckles turning white. He clenched his teeth in order to keep from flipping out. "You are digging yourself a deeper grave, asshole."

"Indeed? I shall remember that." Giovanni shrugged and put out his cigar. "Thank you for the generous sampling of blood you left with Cassandra in Emerald Village, by the way. It would have been hard finishing the final stage of the water-borne virus on time without it."

"You're bluffing. It wouldn't have done you any good. My virus was rendered sterile by then."

"Which is what I needed." Giovanni smiled. "The serum used to affect the reproduction of the viruses was very masterfully done and without being able to use it as a base to work off of, I would have taken much longer to engineer a way to protect the viruses from any future antidotes."

"Wait. You knew we were developing a sterility drug?" James asked.

"Of course. I'm not an idiot. Did you think I wouldn't realize why you were at the Topaz Town mill?" Giovanni chortled. "I must remember to thank whoever worked for you. After I kill you, Ketchum, and those other brats, I will reward your scientist friend with a quick death."

"You seem to have one thing mixed-up." James glared at him. "I have the claws, you don't. I'm not the one dying here."

"Oh, you will be." He reached for his belt. "Did you really think I would only have two guards at my disposal?" He detached two Pokeballs and tossed them onto the ground. The popped open and a bright red light filled the air. It dissipated quickly, forming into two vaguely human-like shapes. The light faded into reality with two mostly naked people standing in the center of the room between James and Giovanni. One was an overly-muscular male with thick grey skin and a small black loincloth on. He also had four large, intimidating arms which flexed almost involuntarily, causing the huge biceps to bulge. The woman was more slender and covered everywhere except in her front with a shiny white coast of thing fur. Her spinal cord ended in a long flipper-like fin and she had a long ivory horn protruding from her forehead. Two small tusks hung out form under her upper lip.

"James, meet former Kanto Elite Four members Bruno and Lorelei." Giovanni smiled. They are my true bodyguards."

"Machamp!" Bruno said roughly.

"I'm sure they will take very good care of you." Giovanni smiled.

"You think this is going to scare me? Because it doesn't." A small smile crossed James' lips. "After I tear them apart, you're next."

"We'll see." Giovanni said simply. "Machamp! Dewgong! Attack him!" Bruno and Lorelei each let out a battle cry and charged at James. James held his claws out menacingly as if daring them to come closer. Bruno reached him first, his arms outstretched. James swiped at him with his claws and cut along the first forearm he saw. Blood squirted out into the air, but it didn't seem to faze Bruno. Another arm swung at James and he used his other hand to slice this intruding arm. It was then James saw his disadvantage in this fight when the other two arms came around and pounded him the stomach. He groaned and buckled over from the powerful hit. It felt like he got hit with a cement block. The two injured arms seemed unaffected by the James' attack and grabbed James by the wrists. Bruno lifted James off the ground before proceeding to pummel his sternum like a punching bag. James shouted and coughed in pain, blood flying from his mouth with every hit. Giovanni watched with a grin.

"Nothing is more entertaining than watching someone get their ego beat out of them, huh?" He said to the man next to him.

"Magikarp?" Jessie's father responded.

"Let go of me!" James hissed at Bruno. "Right fucking now!" A whirlwind of sand formed on the floor and quickly encompassed the two hybrids locked in combat. Bruno strained to see through the storm and James used the momentary confusion to swing his feet backwards, then bring them up at a rapid acceleration. His boots came in contact with Bruno's chin and the big man's head snapped back from the impact. His hands loosened around James' wrists and he stumbled back in pain. James dropped to the ground unceremoniously, but was on his feet again instantly. The sandstorm dissipated, leaving James facing Lorelei. The woman howled angrily and held her hands out, palms open. A bright blue ball formed in her hands and then transformed into a concentrated beam of pure cold, firing right at James. James ducked and weaved to the side as the beam struck the wall right behind where he was standing, freezing the immediate area on impact. James dashed at her quickly, ignoring the throbbing pain in his chest. Lorelei shot another beam of ice at James, and this time the ex-Rocket leapt into the air, dodging the icy blast that froze the ground he was just standing on. James descended on the woman, claws drawn. He made for a slash, but she nimbly moved away.

"Dewgong!" She scolded him as he hit the ground where she used to be hard, driving his claw into the floor. James quickly regained his composure and made another run at Lorelei. But he was cut short when two pairs of arms grabbed him by the shirt and lifted him into the air.

"Whoa!" James shouted. "What the fuck is this shit?"

Bruno didn't answer and hoisted the Sandslash hybrid over his head. Then he proceeded to slam James into the ceiling repeatedly, leaving a mess of blood on the tiles. James' body hung from the man's hands limply, each slam causing his arms and legs to flail about wildly. Then, James suddenly lifted his right arm, the claws now glowing crimson, and drove his fist into the cracked ceiling. A rift formed in the already weakening ceiling and a large hole burst in the layer between the fifteenth and sixteenth floors. Bruno stopped his attacks in surprise and that was enough time for a bloody, beaten James to swing his other hand down and swipe his claws along Bruno's face. Bruno roared and dropped James so he could clutch his bleeding face. James fell to the ground a second time, but recovered much slower. His head was bruised horribly; it looked like his face was used to tenderize frozen meat. Blood leaked down in every direction, running over his maligned visage.

He tried to stand up, but was suddenly hit by a ray of rainbow light that seemed to emanate from Lorelei's horn. He felt the energy within him leak away and he crumpled back to the ground as if he didn't even have the strength to stand. He barely managed to stay upright. Bruno, now recovered from his attack, grabbed the back of James' neck with one of his left arms and chucked the weakened body into one of the room's walls. The wall cracked and the paint flaked off as James' body slammed against it.

"Tsk tsk." Giovanni sighed. He held up his hand to hold off his minions. "How pathetic. I thought you'd at least put up a little bit of fight."

"Fuck off.' James growled, forcing himself to a sitting position. He noticed that Bruno and Lorelei were now just watching him. "You're the pathetic one…using a fucking hostage." He motioned his head at Jessie's father. "You know I won't let loose with him in here."

"Oh?" Giovanni asked in mock surprise. "Is that all?" He reached onto his desk, picked up a handgun, pointed it to his side and fired. The top half of Jessie's father's head exploded, scattering brain chunks and blood against the wall behind him. The force of the impact caused his wheelchair to tip over backwards, slamming the corpse onto the ground. His eyes rolled into his head and his tongue hung out of his open mouth, a look of surprise frozen on what was left of his face. Giovanni blew the smoke away from the gun barrel and place it back down on the desk. "By all means; let loose."

James' eyes widened as he watched the old hybrid die on the floor. The dead man spasmed involuntarily a few times before falling still. He seemed to be the only person who even reacted to the man's death and James suddenly saw red.

"BASTARD!" James screamed and got to his feet. "You're dead!" He ran full speed ahead at his target. Giovanni snapped his fingers and his pokemon went back to work, intercepting James on his way to Giovanni. James quickly dropped to his knees, driving a red claw into the floor. The floor cracked, a schism splitting through the ground they stood on. Bruno's immense weight cause extra cracking and the areas hit by Lorelei's additional ice beams shattered instantly. Both Pokemon moved to the side to avoid the spreading rift and James took advantage of that fact. He jumped forward at Giovanni, both claws ready to strike. Giovanni growled and grabbed for his gun. James anticipated the move and reached out as he descended, grabbing Giovanni's wrist and pointing the gun elsewhere. Several bullets ended up embedded in the floor, ceiling or wall. James landed on the ground roughly and jammed his claws into Giovanni's upper right chest. The Team Rocket boss yelled out as the sharp claws entered his skin.

"You're fucked now." James hissed and ripped his claws out of the man's chest before driving them back in and twisting. Giovanni screamed in pain again. In a burst of adrenaline, Giovanni managed to wrench his hand free of James' grip, bringing the gun around. He pressed the barrel into James' hand and shot his last bullet into James' wrist. The bullet fired out and tore open James' skin and shattered the bone connecting his hand. James howled in agony. Giovanni used his free hand to grab a hold of James' shattered wrist and squeeze. James cringed and almost fell to his knees.

"That hand isn't going anywhere. It's staying right here." Giovanni grinned maniacally. "Did you really think that would kill me? Do you really think this is over? **Did you really think you could win**?"

"You talk too fucking much." James hissed and went for a second attack with his other hand. Giovanni dropped his empty pistol and caught James' arm. Giovanni was stronger then he looked and James was feeling drained from the fight; as such, the Rocket boss managed to stop the hit.

"Valiant effort." Giovanni smirked. "But I'm afraid your attempted takeover ends now." James growled at him, but his expression changed in an instant when he felt an unbelievable cold fill the nerves of his back. Lorelei was hitting him with a condensed ice beam attack and it was turning his body into ice. James could feel his entire back tense up from the cold and the blood in his veins slowed down, pumping slower. James started to feel light-headed and it was getting harder to breathe normally.

"Now, you die." Giovanni said matter-of-factly.

"Not…yet…" James hissed, then, with all his remaining energy, he managed to shout over the commotion. "WEEZING! SMOKESCREEN ATTACK!" On cue, Weezing burst through the door into the room.

"Weezing!" The pokemon agreed and suddenly the room was filled with a thick black smoke. Bruno and Lorelei immediately began hacking and stumbling about and James felt the impeding ice on his back stop. He could still see Giovanni, since they were so close, but that's about it. Giovanni started to hack and cough, as if he swallowed one of his own cigars. James was used to Weezing smoke and barely coughed. Which was fortunate, because he would have given out completely from that alone.

"Weezing…come to me…" James said, trying to leave enough energy in him to stay standing. The pokemon floated through the air to James' side, unhindered by the smog. "Okay Weezing…I want you to use…explosion."

"WHAT?!" Giovanni screamed.

"Weezing?" The pokemon asked, confused.

"Do it." James hissed. "And hurry."

"NO!" Giovanni yelled. "You aren't doing this!" He pulled James' broken hand out of his chest with a grunt, then attempted to push James out of the way. But he noticed that neither he nor James moved. He looked down when he realized his feet weren't moving. Through the clearing smog, he now realized both of them were standing in thick sand that replaced the floor, sunk down to their ankles. Giovanni thrashed around trying to break free, but couldn't escape. "What it this?!"

"Sand Tomb." James said weakly. "Neither of us are going anywhere. Weezing, explosion." The pokemon put on a sour expression, but nodded anyway. Slowly, Weezing began to glow a bright white color.

"No, no, NO!" Giovanni screeched. "It can't end like this!" He turned to his two minions who were just breaking free of the smog's veil. "Help me you idiots!" He screamed. Bruno nodded and ran forward. He drew his arms back and slammed James in his frozen back. The ice shattered and James screamed as a large chunk of his skin broke off like glass and fell to the ground, leaving his frozen muscles and bones exposed. Bruno continued to assail James' weak unprotected back and his vision blurred. The only thing keeping him upright was the sand around his feet.

Then, suddenly, the pain was gone. He could still feel the fists, but not the pain. Everything moved in slow motion, like a dream. He closed his eyes and met the darkness. Then he could see a yellow glow in the distance, piercing the blackness around him. In the center of the light he saw the silhouette of a woman, smiling and waving at him, her long hair flowing behind her. James smiled weakly. He felt a warmth fill his heart. "Jessie…I'm coming Jessie." He said softly. Or maybe it was all in his head. He didn't know any more and it really didn't matter. In the distant part of his mind, he thought he heard Giovanni's tortured screaming one last time. Then he was deafened by the wailing shriek of a massive explosion. A burning heat encircled his body and his vision went bright white. And he knew nothing else.

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From his position several floors below, Captain Avarice stopped in place. His head throbbed with the force of a migraine. He groaned and gripped the sides of his head. The squadron of Rockets following him quickly came to his side. "What is it, Captain?" One of them asked.

"Dead." Avarice said. "Giovanni's dead."

"Dead?" The Rockets gasped and murmured among themselves. "How?"

"One of the interlopers killed him." Avarice said, dropping his hands and straightening up.

"What will we do?" One of the Rockets asked.

"Maybe we should run away!" Another said. He suddenly screamed and dropped to the ground, clutching his head like it was about to explode.

"We will do not such thing." Avarice said cooly. "I am now the acting leader of Team Rocket. And I say we continue as planned. The mission stays the same: find Ash Ketchum and eliminate him. Understood?"

"Yes, Commander Avarice!" The Rockets chanted. The downed one slowly let go of his pounding head and stood back up, rejoining the ranks.

"Then let's get back to work!" He turned back around and marched off again. Once his face was obscured, he grinned darkly to himself. Commander Avarice had a very, very nice ring to it.

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The blackened, burnt room that used to be Giovanni's control central was now deathly silent. The charred bodies of Lorelei and Bruno were lying limply against a broken wall, chunks of metal and other objects sticking out of them. The fallen, fainted husk of Weezing lay unmoving on the ground, patiently waiting for its owner to recall it to its pokeball. But that did not happen. Where its owner once stood, locked in combat with his arch nemesis, there were only indistinct piles of dust and ashes. It was even unclear which piles belonged to which person. Next to the ashes were the very last remains of a small leather pouch, singed and nearly falling apart. Scattered all around it were small specks of purple glass that glittered in the darkness.

To be Continued...

* * *

**Outro**: Well, how was that? Worth the wait? Yeah, probably not. The next one will be out much sooner, I promise.

We see the deaths of many important characters in this chapter. Besides Lance, Bruno, Lorelei and Gene, there's the final climactic battle in which we lose both main character James and main villain Giovanni. That's right, James has had his revenge and the villain has been vaporized. But there's still at least two more Strands left, so it's not mission complete yet. Cassandra and Clayton are both still alive and kicking, as is the new boss of Team Rocket: Commander Avarice. Will we finally get to see the intimidating man in action? How about all those loose rejects? How will the team even last long enough to find the virus? Find out the answer to these questions (well, most of these questions, anyway) in the next exciting chapter of **Hybrids: Outbreak**!

Oh yes, and lest I forget.

Ash's Move List - Vine Whip, Razor Leaf, Leech Seed, Solarbeam

James' Move List - Slash, Earthquake, Sandstorm, Sand Tomb

Lance's Move List - Dragon Rage, Twister, Hyper Beam

Clayton's Move List - Transform

Gene's Move List- Strength

Nathan's Move List- Pin Missle, Twineedle, Agility

Beau's Move List - Water Sport, Rain Dance, Horn Drill

Laila's Move List - Spark

Oliver's Move List - Bone Club, Bonemarang, Bone Rush

Bruno's Move List - Dynamic Punch, Seismic Toss

Lorelei's Move List - Ice Beam, Aurora Beam

See ya all around soon!

- T.E.


	21. Termination

**Intro: **Hey everyone! I'm back with a brand new chapter of Hybrids: Outbreak. I told you it would be out quicker than last time, didn't I? Anyway, this chapter is even longer than the last one. There's so much ground to cover! How will I ever get it all done? Eh, I'm sure I will find a way. Anyway, enjoy this chapter, which I am sure will manage to make you all simultaniously like and hate me.

As you are well aware of, I do not own Pokemon or its characters.

* * *

**Hybrids: Seventh Iteration**

**Strand 4: Termination**

The maniacal laughter of reject hybrids penetrated the silence and filled the dark corridors of the abandoned Violet Isle Medical Center. Their maddening screams of torturous pain and unending hunger echoed against the steel walls, surrounding the shadows with auditory fear. The scampering of clawed feet and beating of leathery wings followed close behind, refusing to be drowned out by the insanity of the rejects' outcry.

Misty ran through the pitch-black shadows as fast as she could, constantly looking over her shoulder for any rejects that may be chasing her through the hallway. _Damn beasts! _She thought to herself, wishing they would just disappear. She tried her best to concentrate on the path ahead of her and praying she'd get out of the shadows and back into a lit area soon. The rejects must have somehow gotten to the power supply, as several sections she had been through had no lights on.

She saw a dim light ahead of her as the hallway merged into a lobby. She dashed even faster toward the light, her sneakers clopping against the tile floor. As she ran into the lobby, she quickly came to a screeching halt. The first thing she noticed was a splatter of chunky blood on the floor in front of her. She felt bile rise in her throat, but she tried her best to hold it down. She looked up and saw the dead body of a hybrid (she assumed it was a reject) draped over a formally yellow couch that was now stained crimson. It might have been Rattatta hybrid, judging by the buck teeth coming out of its mouth. She looked just beyond the slain body and noticed the back of a standing man faced away from her. His clothes were torn up and bloody, but Misty recognized him immediately; she would have even if he didn't have teal skin.

"Ash!" She yelled out to him. Ash quickly whipped around, striking up a fighting pose as a reaction. When he noticed who it was, his expression softened from a battle glare to a surprised confusion.

"Misty?" Ash asked. He took a step forward. "What…what are you…?"

"ASH!" Misty cried out, tears streaming down her face. She ran up to him and threw her arms around his neck. "Oh, thank God I found you!" She sniffed back some tears. "I…I was so scared…"

"Misty, what is going on?" Ash asked and Misty pulled away slightly. "Why are you in here? You were supposed to stay outside!"

"We were ambushed." She explained. "Brock and I had to run in here to avoid the guards!"

"Shit!" Ash hissed. "Where is Brock anyway?"

"We got separated." Misty bit her lip. "I'm worried about him, but I'm glad I found you." She hugged Ash again. "I was worried about you too."

"It's okay…" Ash reassured her gently, burying his face in her hair as he held her close. Misty sighed and melted into his arms, hugging him tightly and not wanting to let go. Suddenly, however, she felt his muscles tense up and his hands moved to her shoulders.

"Ash? What's going on?" Misty asked. She looked up and her eyes widened in fear. Ash's usually soft expression had been replaced with a cold, murderous glare. He pushed Misty away from him roughly, and then held his arm out. A razor leaf traveled down his arm and tumbled out of his wrist slowly so he could catch it in his hand. Clutching the sharp leaf between his index and middle finger, he spun his arm around quickly. The edge of the leaf caught Misty's neck, tearing a long gash along her throat. Misty's shocked expression froze on her face as her neck exploded in a geyser of blood. She stumbled back against the wall as her blood gushed out onto Ash's face and chest. She hit the wall and slumped down to the ground, unable to do anything but clutch at her throat to put pressure on the bleeding.

Her dimming eyes turned up to face her attacker and she stared at him in disbelief, unable to come to grips with what had just happened. Ash sneered at her angrily, his face contorted in a disgusted look.

"You bitch." He hissed angrily. "You fucking bitch."

"…ah…" Misty tried to respond, but couldn't form words. Blood continued to pour out of her torn throat, leaking between her fingers and dripping down her shirt.

"You thought you were being clever, didn't you?" Ash's continued to growl at Misty's bleeding body. "Well, guess what? You messed up. You may be able to copy her looks and her voice," Ash's eyes narrowed sharply, "but your hair doesn't smell a thing like strawberries."

From the ground, Misty started to chuckle softly. Soon, it became a hoarse laughter as Misty taunted Ash with her haunting giggle. "Well, well, well." She said with an evil smile. "Looks like someone's catching on." Misty quickly melted into a puddle of pink goop before reforming into Clayton, still holding his neck.

"You should have known better than to take_ her_ appearance, fuckhead." Ash glared at the downed man. "Anyone else may have fooled me. But not her. I know my Misty."

"That's so sweet." Clayton croaked, still holding his neck. "I think someone should have been a Luvdisc hybrid."

"You're awfully cocky for someone with a slit throat, Clayton." Ash said, tilting his head to the side.

"Oh, please." Clayton scoffed. He removed his hand to reveal the gash had almost completely healed. "Like that's going to stop me. You could have killed your precious Misty with that kind of attack, but I'm a fucking hybrid." He stood up slowly, still a little shaky. "This cut is nothing, you stupid prick. Now that we've both wasted our element of surprise, let's get down to business. Namely, beating the living shit out of each other." He grinned. "Our last fight was cut unfortunately short. Let's make this one really epic." His face melted into pink goo again and began to reform into the metallic Voulger. But he shifted back into pink slime before becoming himself again. Clayton gasped and fell back down to the ground. "What the…" He muttered in disbelief.

"How about we skip the epic fight and get right to the grand finale?" Ash asked, allowing himself a little smirk.

"What the fuck is this?" Clayton hissed at him. "Why can't I transform? What the fuck did you do to me?"

"Oh, I bet you're just feeling a little weak." Ash taunted him. "By the way, I lied earlier. You actually made two mistakes." He held up the razor leaf he had slit Clayton's throat with. There was thing violet liquid coating the sharp edges of the leaf. "You seem to have forgotten that Ivysaurs are dual-type Pokemon."

It took a second, but it eventually dawned on Clayton. "You…you poisoned me?"

"Toxic, actually. A rather potent batch, too. You'd be surprised just how powerful a poison an Ivysaur can make. And I think enough of it got in your blood stream, don't you?"

"You…" Clayton started, but his voice died out as blood started to leak down the corner of his mouth. His skin started to pale considerably and his body was convulsing involuntarily. He tried to move, but found himself immobilized. "You…you can't do this to me. It can't end like this! **I am Clayton Arriami, for fuck's sake**!"

"Live like a bitch, die like a bitch." Ash said remorselessly.

"**I will not die here!**" He screamed at Ash, spitting blood into the air. Ash just sighed and lifted his arm up so his upturned palm was facing Clayton's body. The poisoned hybrid's face fell and his angry expression turned into one of true fear.

"Yes, Clayton. You will." Ash's wrist burst open and a torrent of razor leaves flew out of his arm. They tore through the man's weak body, the poison slowing down his regeneration abilities and ultimately shutting down his immune system. Clayton shook with the impact of each hit, his eyes rolling up into his head. When Ash finally ran out of leaves, the assault ended and Clayton's hole-filled body slumped to the ground, leaving a smear of blood against the wall he had been leaning on.

Ash walked over and knelt by the motionless body. He pressed his fingers against his neck, but didn't feel a pulse. Ash exhaled the breath he didn't know had been holding. He started to rise, then stopped. He looked down at the leaf he was holding in his hand. Biting his lip and swallowing his morality, he rolled Clayton onto his back. Holding the leaf tightly, Ash reached down and jammed it into Clayton's right eye. Looking away from his act, he dug around in the socket until he severed enough of the nerves and popped out the eyeball. It hit the tile floor and rolled a little bit. Ash stood up and stepped on the eye, causing it to crush beneath his shoes with a liquid-like squish. "There. Now we're even." He said and walked off, leaving Clayton's dormant, one-eyed body there on the ground, surrounded by a puddle of blood.

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Amy treaded softly through the dimly lit hallway on the top floor of the hospital. She had to find Ash and warn him about Cassandra. Her footsteps echoed in the silence and it made her heart pound with fear. She wished she had waited for Yuki or Nathan to come with her. Now she was alone and, although she felt capable of defending herself, she had no idea if she was going to have the courage to fight.

Cassandra. Her own sister had come close to killing her, just like she did to Cole, the poor guy. She made a conscious effort to avoid any shadows on the ground, not trusting them anymore. Her sister could be in any of them, just waiting for her to misstep. Amy shuddered with fear. Her sister's dark powers scared her immensely and, if watching Yuki train was any kind of indication, she had every right to be afraid.

She eventually reached a dead end with a large wooden door. Without a second thought, Amy threw the door open, hoping it would lead to a stairwell. Unfortunately, the room was just a large operating room with several gurneys, some equipment and no other way out. More importantly, in the center of the room, was a pile of three dead bodies. They were all hybrids, although Amy didn't recognize any of them. Sitting on the pile of corpses was her sister Cassandra, who was busily licking the blood of her long, sharp fingers. She turned to Amy and smiled viciously, the yellow rings on her body glowing brightly. Amy was suddenly glad the single overhead light sufficiently illuminated the room and created few shadows.

"Hello there, sis." Cassandra held her dark smile. "I was wondering if you would give chase all this way."

"I'm s-stopping you, Cassandra." Amy said, trying to keep her voice steady.

"Does it look like I'm going anywhere?" The Umbreon hybrid responded. "I don't need to get to Ketchum immediately. I can wait to kill him until later. I decided I wanted to be the one to finish you off. Us being family and all."

"We're not family." Amy's clenched fists shook with ire. "You…you are no longer my s-sister. My sister died a long time ago; all that's left is a d-dark shell."

"Ouch." Cassandra looked wounded. "Words hurt, sis."

"S-so will my kicks." Amy responded, striking an uneasy battle pose. She wasn't sure if she could actually fight her sister, but she had to try, for Ash's sake.

"Ooo. Clever." Cassandra stood up, wiping the remaining blood on her fingers onto her hips. "I wonder if your body is as fast as your wit." With that, Cassandra leaped forward with unbelievable speed. Amy only had time to lift her arms up in front of her face before her shadowy sister was upon her. Cassandra raked her sharp claw-like fingers across Amy's bare arms, leaving deep scratches along her skin. Amy cried out in pain, dropping her arms and stumbling back. Cassandra wasted no time and grabbed her by the throat, wrapping her fingers tightly around the girl's neck. Amy gasped and choked as Cassandra's fist tightened. She struggled against the grip, but her sister was much stronger than she was.

"I've wanted to do this for a long time, dear sister." Cassandra smirked evilly. She lifted Amy off the ground. The girl's feet started kicking and she pried at the black fingers around her neck, but to no avail; it wasn't enough to get Cassandra to drop her. Amy's eyes rolled up into her head as she started to loose oxygen. "Look in my eyes, Amy." Cassandra taunted her. "I want to see the look in your eyes." Amy managed to bring her eyes back around so she could look her sister dead on. Then Amy's pupils flashed white.

Cassandra shouted in pain as an explosion of color behind her eyes temporarily blinded her. She dropped Amy to the floor and stumbled backwards, rubbing her eyes. Amy landed on the ground hard and she started to take in deep breaths.

"You bitch!" Cassandra screeched, trying to focus her blurry vision on her sister. She squinted and stumbled around wearily. Amy saw her chance and got to her feet. She ran forward, her hands curled into fists and hoping for one good hit. She drew back her fist, but Cassandra was faster and she dropped down low, sweeping her leg around and knocking Amy backwards. The girl let out a surprised shriek as she fell onto her back, her head slamming against the tile floor hard. Cassandra stood straight up and put her foot on Amy's chest, pressing down roughly. Her eyes focused and her wobble vanished.

"Using a psychic attack on a Dark-type?" Cassandra laughed. "Here I thought you _knew_ something about Pokemon. Easy enough to fool you, though."

"Ugh…" Amy groaned, and then she screamed as Cassandra pushed down on her chest harder.

"Wait for it…wait for it…" Cassandra put one hand to her ear as she increased the pressure. Then a lout snapping noise from inside Amy's chest as one of her ribs cracked. Amy's pained screams intensified. "There we go." Cassandra smiled. She lifted her foot off of Amy's chest. Amy shifted to her side and started to pant and wheeze, her eyes tightly shut closed.

"Oh God….oh God…" Amy groaned, clutching her chest.

"You big baby." Cassandra snorted. "You know, I don't even want to kill you anymore. You are just a waste of my time. Useless." Cassandra shook her head in disgust and turned to leave, then stopped. "Then again…" She strode back over to Amy's twitching body. "Maybe I can use you. You like this Ketchum boy, don't you?" Cassandra smiled as Amy's eyes widened. "Does he like you back? What would he do to save you?"

"What…what do you…" Amy coughed up some blood as she tried to speak. The trickle of crimson liquid trailed down to her shin.

"How would you like to be Ash's damsel in distress?" Cassandra bent down and grabbed Amy's chin, stroking her cheek with one long, sharp finger. "Do you think he would turn himself over for your safety?"

"No…don't…" Amy's words were chopped up an uneven.

"I'll take that as a yes." Cassandra smirked. "First, let's make sure all the fight is out of you." She withdrew her hand from her face quickly, then jammed her sharp fingers into Amy's torso. Amy's eyes widened and her mouth hung open, yet no sound emitted from her throat. Cassandra ripped her fingers free from the girls body, leaving torn wounds along her body. "And once more for good measure." Cassandra added before piercing the girl's sternum a second time. Amy screamed this time, a throaty torturous yell. Her antennae twitched about wildly, building up massive kinetic energy, before the two ends slammed into one another. A powerful multi-colored beam fired out from the place where her antennae met. It fired right through Cassandra's head, not so much as damaging her face, but wrecking havoc on her mind. She felt a pain akin to an intense migraine shoot through her brain and Cassandra immediately withdrew her fingers before falling flat on her back and rolling away from Amy, screeching and clutching her head.

"Augh!" She wailed. "My head is on fire!" Amy panted wearily as she watched her sister roll around, gripping her skull. She groaned and tried to get to her feet, stumbling a bit before rising up. Cassandra finally pushed past her throbbing headache and forced herself to stand up as well. She gritted her teeth as she stared her sister down. "You little bitch." She seethed, then groaned as her loud voice only made the pain in her head worse. Amy didn't respond to her and just focused on staying upright. "Forget what I said earlier. You are so dead." Cassandra wasted no more time and flung herself at her sister.

"No!" Amy yelled, causing her chest to throb. Her wings began to beat furiously and create a strong wind. Cassandra's feet left the ground and, with a grunt of confusion, she flew back into a stack of gurneys. Metal and plastic flew out into the air as the contraptions fell apart beneath the force of her body hitting them. Amy's wings stopped and she began to wheeze uncontrollably. She quickly caught herself and turned to run for the door while she still could.

"Not so fast!" Cassandra yelled at her. The Umbreon hybrid held the broken wheel of a gurney in her hand as she rose to her feet. She chucked it as hard as she could into the air. It flew on its arc straight to its destination, shattering the singular light bulb overhead. The room was suddenly plunged into darkness. Amy stopped short in shock.

"Oh no." She whispered to herself and tried to start running at full speed again. Unfortunately, the darkness swelled around her and slammed into her chest with the force of a baseball bat. Pain shot through Amy's nerves like an electrical current and the sudden shock to her system caused her to black out. She fell to the ground and was enveloped in darkness.

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Ash slinked down the long staircase, trying his best to stay as silent as possible. The less attention he drew to himself, the easier it would be to find the virus. The last thing he wanted was more reject hybrids on his trail. He kept a close eye on the stairs above and below him.

Finally, he reached the bottom floor of the stairwell. A grey sign marked "B3" adorned the wall next to a metal door. Ash took a deep breath and slowly pushed the door open. Peering out, Ash took a quick watch for any hybrids or Rockets, but found none. He carefully made his way into the hall and tiptoed silently toward the doors at the far end. When he got there, he stopped and read the lettering on the doors. They were all marked 'Laboratory' followed by a number. Ash took a wild guess and chose door number five. The door was thankfully unlocked and Ash slipped right in, closing it behind him.

The room was pitch-black, but Ash quickly found the light switch and illuminated the room. His eyes widened immediately; the room was filled with vials and beakers of a smoky black liquid. Ash's mind flashed several garbled memories of the operation he underwent all those months ago. The pain from the experiment was still fresh in his mind and with it, the syringe that Giovanni stuck in him. He was sure of it; this was the same substance he had been infected with.

Ash grinned to himself. This was it. He was here. After all this time, he finally found the hybrid serum. He took a few seconds to take in the long-awaited sight, and then rolled up his sleeves. Now it's time to bust it all to hell. The prospect of that ensuing destruction filled him with an odd sense of glee.

He took several steps forward to the middle of the room, trying to decide where he wanted to start first. Then the door behind him slammed open and Ash whipped around quickly. Commander Avarice was standing in the doorway, dressed in full uniform, a dark smile painted across his face. The light from the ceiling shone against his slicked back hair. At least eight Rocket grunts stood behind him, although more could have been obscured from view. Ash bared his teeth and struck a fighting stance, shooting Avarice a warning glare. Avarice just smiled and started to slowly clap his gloved hands.

"Wonderful detective work, Mr. Ketchum. I am actually surprised you managed to get this far. I'm impressed."

"You son of a bitch." Ash growled, baring his sharp teeth. "I remember you. You were there when I was first dragged off for this God-forsaken experiment."

"So your memory hasn't completely eroded yet. How fortunate."

"Not for you." Ash's eyes narrowed. "You hurt my friends back then and now I have a chance to get even."

"Is that so?" Avarice arched one eyebrow. "Well…we'll see about that." He held his hand up nonchalantly. "Disperse." He said back to the Rockets. The grunts all looked at each other with odd looks.

"Commander Avarice? What about…" The lead Rocket started, but Avarice shushed him.

"You will be of no further use here. I will deal with this whelp." Avarice said, continuing to stare Ash down. Ash balled his hands into fists and bared his sharp teeth at the other man.

"Give us a chance sir!" Another Rocket exclaimed. "We can take him!" Avarice just sighed and rolled his eyes.

"Very well." He waved his hand and stepped aside. "By all means, have at him." The Rockets all let out a battle cry and rushed into the room, holding their guns tightly. Their battle cry died down when they noticed Ash's bright yellow eyes narrowed dangerously and his mouth turned in a menacing scowl. Ash opened his mouth and screamed, a blast of bright light emanating from his throat. The Rockets all screeched in terror as the Solarbeam engulfed their bodies and incinerated their skin. Within seconds, all eight grunts had been reduced simply to piles of ashes and several pairs of disembodied feet. The yellow glow in Ash's eyes died down and his pupils returned to blood red.

From his position several feet away, Avarice shook his head sadly and made a sighing sound. "I tried to stop them." He shrugged. He looked down at the feet sticking out of the ashes and grunted. "What a mess."

"Do you see what you're dealing with now, Avarice?" Ash asked. "You better get out of here before I annihilate you with this entire lab."

"With what? Another Solarbeam?" Avarice scoffed and held his gloved hand up. "That would be a more dangerous threat if you still had the energy for another one."

The surprised look on Ash's face was only there for a second, but that was enough time for Avarice to see the boy betray his fears. Ash knew he had revealed too much with his shocked expression. "How did you know…?" Ash began, then his eyes widened.

"What a very good question, Mr. Ketchum. I would offer you an answer, but it would seem you have come to your own conclusion."

"You're a hybrid, aren't you?" Ash whispered. "That's how you managed to get into Brock and Misty's heads. It wasn't that Hypno at all, was it?"

"Very astute reasoning. You hit the nail on the head. I am Commander John Avarice: the very first hybrid."

"The very first hybrid?" Ash repeated, his voice still a whisper.

"Yes. The original experiment conducted by Sir Salazar so many years ago." Avarice's simple smile did not change, but his expression got noticeably darker. "I was given a genetic sampling of my master's most prized Pokemon." He held his hand out triumphantly. "His extremely powerful Mr. Mime."

Ash blinked a few times, then started to chuckle before erupting into full laughter. "A Mr. Mime?" He asked between laughs. "Are you serious? That's your super powerful hybrid type?"

Avarice grumbled and his smile disappeared. "Cheeky brat. I see you need a lesson in humility."

"What are you going to do? Double Slap me to death?" Ash asked, still chortling. Avarice just reached to his side and pulled out a red Stun Stick. Then he ran full speed at Ash. The boy immediately stopped laughing when he saw Avarice rushing at him and he stepped to the side as the man got near. Avarice twisted and spun around, striking Ash in the chest as if he anticipated the quick attempt at dodging all along. Thousands of volts poured through Ash's body causing him to convulse several times before stumbling several feet back and falling flat on his back.

_How the hell did he do that?_ Ash wondered and he tried to get back up, but Avarice was practically on top of him before he could fully come to his senses. He jammed the end of the rod into Ash's throat roughy. A flash of electricity illuminated the rod and shot through Ash's neck causing it to close up and cease air flow. Ash's eyes widened and his hands flailed about wildly. Avarice pulled the rod away again and Ash's throat opened back up just in time for a massive gush of blood to erupt from his throat like a fountain. Ash clutched at his neck in an attempt to stop the bleeding, but the surging electricity was still bursting vessels of blood in his throat lining. He rolled over to keep himself from drowning in his own blood. Avarice slammed the Stun Stick back down, this time onto the back of Ash's head where his skull attaches to his spine. Ash's world exploded into an array of painful colors and he screamed in agony as he felt his brain start to cook from the heat of the lightning charging around in his skull. Avarice removed the rod once more, leaving a burn mark on both sides of his neck. Ash's vision blurred and refused to focus as Avarice stood above him triumphantly.

"Any more wisecracks, Mr. Ketchum?" Avarice asked. "Or can we talk like men?"

"We're not men anymore." Ash growled and spun around, swinging his feet in a sweep kick. Avarice jumped backwards, avoiding the leg completely. Ash's vision improved just enough for him to see Avarice's location clearly. He held his hand out and fired a barrage of razor leaves at the man. Avarice stood still while the sharp projectiles approached him, then quickly made a waving motion with his hand. A transparent wall, seemingly made of pure light, appeared in front of him and the razor leaves bounced off the wall harmlessly. The wall vanished as the last leaf ricocheted off. Ash's mouth dropped in disbelief.

"What the Hell?" Ash asked.

"I'm afraid you are in over your head, Mr. Ketchum." Avarice smiled and his eyes focused on the downed boy. Suddenly, Ash's world devolved into pure pain and he clutched the sides of his head, letting out a loud torturous cry. His ears filled with a high-pitched screech and a massive migraine tore his brain in two. An intense pressure pushed on his skull like his head was in a vice grip. Tears streamed down Ash's face as the intense pain blinded his every sense.

Avarice smiled as he walked over to the screaming boy who was gripping the sides of his head. "Poison types are very susceptible to psychic attacks, aren't they?" He asked rhetorically. Ash just seethed painfully in response. He waited for a few minutes, enjoying the agonizing moaning of the boy on the floor. Then he broke his stare of concentration and the pressure in Ash's mind disappeared instantly. Some pain still lingered and it took Ash a few minutes to recover. In that time, Avarice reached down, and grabbed the back of Ash's head roughly.

"Show me your nightmares, Ketchum." He hissed in the boy's ear. "I want to taste them." Ash opened his mouth to respond, but suddenly his world vanished from him into a field of white.

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"Ash?" The soft voice that posed the light question floated through the air like a feather on the wind. The melodic tone of the voice was music to Ash's ears and the boy held his eyes closed for a few seconds to linger on the sound.

"Ash?" The voice repeated a second time. Ash opened his eyes to the blank whiteness around him. He searched for the source of the voice, but saw nothing. He swiveled his head around in confusion.

"Ash…where are you?" Her voice echoed again. Ash craned his neck to each side and turned around in place, but there was no one but him in the whiteness.

"Ash…please…I need you…" The voice repeated, the melodic tone breaking up into a choked sadness. Ash's brow furrowed in worry. Something was wrong. Something was very, very wrong. His lips quivered for a second before he opened his mouth to speak. His throat was dry and his first words came out hoarsely.

"M-Misty?" He asked, his voice cracking as if he hadn't used it for ages.

"Ash!" The voice screeched loudly from behind him. Ash pivoted around on one foot and the serene white backdrop instantly shifted to a dark dungeon room. The powerful odor of blood and mold emanated from the stone walls. But Ash hardly noticed this; his attention was raptly focused on the torture rack ahead of him. Misty was lying down on the rack, her arms and legs firmly manacled to the wood. She was also stark naked and wriggling for freedom.

"Misty?" Ash asked weakly, not believing his eyes. His heart sank deep into his stomach. She may have been naked, but Ash felt no arousal. The fear in her eyes held his attention. Then, there was a third figure in the room, approaching the redhead from the shadows. Ash's eyes widened as he recognized the gaunt man approaching the rack. It was Clayton Arriami. "What the fuck is this? You're supposed to be dead!" Ash whispered, narrowing his eyes. Then Clayton reached down to his jeans pants and pulled down the zipper. Ash's eyes widened again, this time is realization of what was going to happen. "Oh no. Oh God no." He whispered in disbelief.

"Ash…why won't you save me Ash?" Misty whispered, her wide eyes dancing with fear as she watched Clayton shed his clothing.

"NO!" Ash screamed, his eyes bulging from his head. "Don't you fucking touch her, you piece of shit!" Ash screamed. He tried to move, but found himself glued to the spot. He flailed his arms wildly, but his legs wouldn't budge. "Misty! MISTY!" He yelled to her, but she didn't seem to hear him.

The minute Clayton's clothes had hit the cold ground, he snapped into action. In a flash, he was upon Misty's pinned form, grunting and snarling. Misty let out a sharp cry of tortured pain as the man forced himself on her, taking advantage of her immobile body.

"MISTY!" Ash screamed again, his voice filled with fear, rage, and guilt.

"Ash…" She groaned in pain, her eyes shut tightly. Tears streamed down her cheeks as Clayton continued his assault, his hands gripping her wrists tightly. "Ash…please save me…" Her words died out into another painful shout.

"You son of a bitch!" Ash yelled at Clayton, tears running down his own face. "I'm going to tear your fucking head off!"

"Ash…why won't you save me?" Misty whispered before breaking into a sobbing fit. Ash's rage dissolved into an overwhelming feeling of guilty uselessness. His shoulders slumped and he shut his eyes tightly. Even then, all he could see was Clayton violating the girl he loved.

"No…" Ash whimpered. "This can't be happening…this can't…" He groaned and opened his eyes again, the vision almost worse with his eyes closed. Then the sight before him took an unexpected and very disturbing turn. Clayton's body melted into a gooey pink substance before reforming into a new body. He was still nude, but his body was now that of Ash himself.

"A-Ash?" Misty asked weakly, then cried out again as the new Ash resumed his previous movements. "No! Ash! Why are you hurting me? Stop! Please stop!" She sobbed. "Why would you do this to me?"

"No…NO!" Ash's fragile mind was starting to snap and he shook involuntarily. "Misty! It's not me! It's...Oh, God…" He bit his lip until it bled, unable to turn away from the horrible sight of his own image raping Misty. The naked Ash turned his head to face his counterpart and a dark smile stretched across his face, as if taunting him. This was too much and Ash's mind broke down. His legs allowed movement for the first time since the ordeal started and Ash collapsed to the ground, curling into a fetal position. Try as he may, he could not turn his eyes away from the horrid sight ahead of him.

Her screams assaulted his ears. Her violation assaulted his eyes. Her pain assaulted his heart. And all he could do was sit there and cry. Hours turned into days. Days turned into months. Months turned into years. And Ash could do nothing but watch.

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Avarice relished the twisted look of pain on Ash's face. It had taken just a few seconds to bring the boy's mind into a state of pure chaos, but he knew for Ash it was much longer. Exactly how long was up in the air, but Avarice knew it was long enough to break him down. He could see the boy's nightmare in a third eye and he reveled in the torture being inflicted. Every feeling of hurt, ire and guilt fueled him further. He could feel his body rejuvenating from the nightmare he was forcing on the kid in his grip. After a minute, Avarice felt fully refreshed and he let go of Ash's head. Ash gasped loudly as his brain was restored into reality. His eyes remained wide open as he looked around wildly, trying to figure out what had happened.

"What? What's going on?" Ash sputtered. "Where's Misty?"

"Where is Misty, you ask?" Avarice smiled. "What an odd question."

"Avarice?" Ash asked weakly, his eyes focusing on the pale man. "What are you doing here? Where's Misty and Clay-" He stopped as his mind finally caught up with his mouth. "That…that was a dream?"

"More like a hallucination." Avarice responded. "But one pulled from your own subconscious. A nightmare that seems to be particularly damaging to your psyche."

"You bastard!" Ash hissed. "What possible reason could you have for putting me through that?"

"Besides the fact that it has severely weakened you?" He asked. Ash looked at his feet reluctantly. Avarice told the truth; he felt weaker and less capable of fighting with the memory of the horrible nightmare still fresh in his mind. "There's also the fact that feeding on your perverse dreams has given me a much needed boost."

"Dream Eater?" Ash guessed.

"Very good." Avarice nodded. "Nothing escapes you, does it?"

"So you got stronger and I got weaker." Ash grunted, trying to shake off the vicious memory burned into his mind. "That doesn't seem very fair."

"Did you expect it to be?" Avarice asked. "I'm the leader of Team Rocket now. I don't play fair."

"Leader?" Ash asked. "So Giovanni is dead then." He allowed himself a small smile. That means James did what he went there to do. "That must be a bit of a blow to the Rocket morale."

"Are you serious?" Avarice raised one eyebrow. "I waited forever for someone to finally take him out."

"Wait…what?" Ash cocked his head to the side in confusion. "You wanted Giovanni dead?"

"That arrogant fool had no idea of the power he was toying with." Avarice snorted. "Here he held the key to the next step of evolution in his hand and he was going to use it to fund his petty criminal organization. He even had the gall to refuse his own discovery so he could stay human." Avarice shook his head in disgust. "What a waste of potential."

"So what?" Ash asked. He didn't really care what Avarice's motivation was, but if he could stall for enough time, he could regain his strength before the hybrid took further measures against him.

"So what?!" Avarice nearly choked on the air he was breathing. "It showed his true colors, his extreme cowardice in the face of fear. It is the nature of all creatures to desire power. To seek it out and better ourselves. That is what drives all living things. And Giovanni turned it down because of his fear of the unknown. That is why I had to surpass him as leader."

"You knew James was coming for him, didn't you?" Ash asked. "I bet you knew the plan the whole time."

"Of course I did." Avarice said. "But I let you break in here. This way, I could be rid of Giovanni, maintain the trust of my underlings, and as an added bonus, kill you and your little band of vagrants."

Ash growled to himself, but maintained his cool. As much as he wanted to defend himself and his friends, he knew he wasn't nearly strong to provoke Avarice yet. "So what makes you so much more adept as a leader?"

"My cause is so much more pure than that of that common criminal." Avarice's eyes glimmered with ambition. "I plan to instigate a new order; a race comprised entirely of hybrids. All those who refuse to evolve will be eliminated. Thus the era of humanity will come to a blessed end."

"I don't get it." Ash said. "You used to be human. Why do you want to destroy them so badly?"

"I used to be a Rocket grunt, but that doesn't stop me from realizing how much more superior I am as a Commander." Avarice crossed his arms. "Don't you see, Ketchum? Once I have a clan of hybrids ready to change the world, we will come to absolute power. No more hiding in shadows. No more running from those that would persecute us. No more being hunted for who we are." Avarice smiled darkly. "You ask me why I want to destroy the humans, why don't tell me why you defend them? You know what they would do to you if they caught you. Half the populace wants to kill you and the other wants to dissect you for scientific research. You could join my cause, you know."

"No fucking way." Ash growled.

"I knew you would say that." Avarice sighed. "Proving you to be as foolish as Giovanni. Denying your own genes to hold onto your humanity. It's sickening to watch." The hybrid narrowed his eyes. "Even if you did somehow manage to pull this suicidal mission of yours off, what kind of existence could you expect to have afterward? You're risking everything for the chance to have a substandard life!"

"The life I'm fighting for is not my own." Ash growled at him through gritted teeth. Avarice raised one eyebrow, then smiled.

"Of course." He said. "Well then, Mr. Ketchum, if your life isn't that important to you, allow me to relieve you of it." He drew the Stun Stick from his side again and jumped at Ash. Ash prayed he had enough to strength in him and braced for the familiar pain he had become accustomed to. Twin vines ripped through his skin and shirt and extended out from his back, wrapping around the legs of a steel table. The vines retracted and pulled Ash along the ground as Avarice landed right where Ash used to be.

"Too slow, Mimey!" Ash taunted as he came to a halt. The wines immediately let go of the table and Ash got to his feet. He still felt weaker than normal, but he was strong enough to fight, at least for a while.

"Well, well. It looks like someone can fight again." Avarice pointed his Stun Stick at Ash. The red rod crackled with electricity. "It's about time this got interesting."

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By the time the incessant growling and scraping of the reject hybrid hoards died down, Brock was so tired he was hardly able to stay upright. He couldn't hear the vicious creatures that had been following him anymore, so he assumed he must have lost them. He took a deep breath and tried to resist collapsing on the ground.

Instead, he resorted to leaning against the wall next to him. The illuminated hallway was coming to an intersection with another hallway and he stopped just short of the junction, panting and wheezing. He let his head hit the wall roughly and he groaned. Now he was all alone inside a hospital filled with Rocket grunts and reject hybrids. And the one person he was supposed to protect was on the entire other side of the building. He didn't know how things could get any worse.

His ear perked up as he heard sound coming from the adjoining hallway. Fear filled his mind and body, and he quickly pressed himself against the wall as tightly as possible, holding his breath. Several seconds later, he watched a woman with pure black skin dragging a young girl down the hallway. Her back was to him, thankfully, but Brock remained motionless, too scared to breathe. That must be Cassandra, the Umbreon Hybrid that James had warned them about. If what James said was true, Brock certainly did not want her to notice him.

That was when he recognized the girl being dragged along the ground. It was Amy, unconscious and bleeding. His heart seized up. She looked to be in a bad way and he didn't think Cassandra was taking her along for a family reunion. He bit his lip in a nervous fashion, wracked with indecision. He couldn't just stay here and let Cassandra take Amy away, but just what was he supposed to do? He stood no chance against her.

_Think, Brock! Think!_ He hissed to himself mentally. Cassandra was quickly leaving his site range. _There has to be something you can do! _Suddenly, a hand grabbed Brock's shoulder and flipped him around. Brock began to let out a surprised yelp, but a hand quickly covered his mouth.

"Shhh!" Seth whispered, trying to calm Brock down. He looked past the tall man and saw that Cassandra had thankfully not heard the muted yell. She continued walking down the hall. Brock took a deep breath and let out a sigh of relief as Seth let go of the man's mouth. "It's just me."

"Seth! Jesus, you scared the hell out of me." Brock whispered. "How did you get there?"

"I walked through the wall. Ghost hybrid, remember?" Seth looked around to make sure no one else was eavesdropping. "I saw Cassandra leaving with Amy but I was unable to stop her myself. I'm going to need your help, Brock."

"I don't know how much help I will be in this case." Brock said sadly. "I can't stand up to a reject hybrid, let alone a full-fledged one."

"Don't worry. I have a plan." Seth said. His confidence drained a little and he looked less sure. "Well, it's not a full plan yet. More like an idea."

"Is it a good idea?" Brock asked weakly, not sure if he wanted to hear the answer.

"Yeah. Well, I think so, anyway. I dunno, I've never come up with a plan before." The young boy shrugged sheepishly. Brock groaned and bit his lip again.

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The quiet air of a large, mostly empty laboratory room was interrupted by a low hum and dinging sound from the electronic device beside a large mechanical door. The steel door suddenly swished open and Ash's body flew into the room as if he had been shot from a cannon. He collided with the steel floor and skidded across the metal for a few feet until he came to a stop. Ash groaned and looked up into the overhead rafters while he tried to regain his balance.

Avarice walked into the room, smiling to himself. "What's wrong Ketchum? Giving up already?"

"Not on your life." Ash hissed, forcing himself onto his feet. "I'm just warming up."

"Well, you should probably start picking up the pace, then." Avarice said and rushed at Ash, swinging the Stun Stick he was brandishing. Ash grunted and jumped backwards, barely dodging the crimson club as it parted the air in front of him. Two vines ripped out of his back and flailed out in front of him, trying in vain to whip Avarice's swiftly moving body. He seemed to see each attack before it happened and he successfully dodged every attack, no matter how fast the vines cracked at him. Avarice finally got bored of Ash's attempts at attacking and swung the Stun Stick around quickly, striking each of the vines. Electricity charged down the vines like a pair of wires and the when the shock hit his body, Ash stumbled back. He managed to maintain his footing, however. The continued abuse from the red rod had given him a slight advantage; he was building up a resistance to the pain it inflicts.

"Is that all you got?" Ash taunted, narrowing his eyes dangerously. Small streams of blood flowed down from the corner of his mouth. "Come on, why don't you stop fucking around and get down to bus-" Ash's words ended in a loud scream as Avarice struck him with another psychic attack, sending his brain into constant throbbing spasms.

"You're awfully cocky for someone who has yet to score a single hit in." Avarice said, tapping his foot and watching Ash drop to his knees. "I think the type disadvantage is a little to high of a handicap for you."

"Fuck off." Ash growled, gritting his teeth. He clenched his fists until his knuckles turned white. He refused to hold onto his head and let the throbbing continue unabated.

"Trying to fight it?" Avarice laughed. "I don't think it's working very well for you, Ketchum." Ash yelled out in an angry burst of adrenaline and stuck his arm out, firing a steady stream of razor leaves at him. Avarice merely sighed and waved his hand. A light screen appeared in front of him and the leaves just bounced off harmlessly.

"Dammit!" Ash exclaimed, dropping his hand in exhaustion.

"I would have thought you would have learned by now." Avarice shook his head in disappointment. "I can foresee anything you throw at me. As long as I'm concentrating on you, you will never be able to get a hit in." He walked over and held out his Stun Stick. "Do you know why I use one of these contraptions instead of a good old-fashioned gun?" He asked. "I like the personal feeling of a club. Guns are too impersonal. Besides…" He spun the rod around in his hand before pressing it to Ash's temple. The electricity jolted into his skull, burning his forehead and causing Ash to scream in blinding pain. "…I can't torture someone as well with a firearm." He smiled without any sense of joy. "I taught Klaus everything he knows about torture. Surprised?"

"I've got a surprise for you, jackass." Ash hissed, and then pushed himself off his knees onto his feet seamlessly, knocking the Stun Stick aside. He swung his arm around, revealing the razor leaf he had hidden in his fingers. Avarice jumped back out of the way of the attack. Ash knew Avarice would dodge every attempted slice, but at least he was on the offensive now. That had to count for something.

He backed Avarice up to the door before the hybrid finally used his hand to catch's Ash's arm and stop his attack in mid movement. His eyes locked on his opponent and Ash's mind burst into flames again. He tried to calm down and soothe his aching mind, but he couldn't fight it. The power it wielded over his poison side was too much. It was like sticking his head into a vice grip and letting it crush his head.

"This is getting boring." Avarice sighed, watching Ash shake and convulse from the psychic attack. "I am far too superior for this to even be sporting. You aren't worth fighting at this point."

"How about if we make it two-on-one?" A voice from above said. A lean figure dropped down from steel rafters and landed on the ground behind Ash. Both men craned their necks to see who the intruder was. Ash's eyes widened and his lips curled into a semi-smile.

"Gary!" Ash exclaimed, immediately gripping his head and regretting screaming out his friend's name. Gary Oak was indeed standing in plain view, his usually spiked hair disheveled from crawling around in duct vents.

"Well, well…the Pokemon Master. This certainly is a twist. But that wasn't too smart, Mr. Oak." Avarice asked. "Now that I know you are here, I will be able to foresee your every move. You lost the biggest thing you had going; your element of surprise."

"My element of surprise has nothing to do with it." Gary replied. "I'm just a distraction." He took a deep breath as Avarice's eyebrow's knotted in confusion, then let out an exclamation. "**Pikachu! Thundershock!**"

"Pika!" The yellow Pokemon shouted as it leapt from the rafters at Avarice, its red cheeks sparking. A blast of electricity fired out from its tiny yellow body and rushed at Avarice. The man growled and jumped back through the doorway, not expecting the sudden attack. He landed just outside the room, but that was all that was needed. Pikachu landed on Ash's shoulder and let loose another surge of lightning at the device that controlled the doors. The sudden shock fried the system and the mechanical doors closed shut instantly as a security measure, locking Avarice outside the room.

"Pikachu!" Ash exclaimed, unable to believe what he was seeing.

"Chu!" The rodent cheered happily and hugged the side of Ash's face warmly. Ash hugged the Pokemon back, laughing in complete surprise. "How did you…"

"I brought it here." Gary spoke up, walking up to the duo. "I figured I could use the help in tracking you down. It wasn't pleased at taking orders from me, but once I told it we were coming to rescue you, it was all for the mission. Turned out to be a good decision; not only did it steal a key to free me from my cell, its nose was instrumental on locating you in here. If it wasn't for Pikachu picking up your scent, we never would have found you."

"Rescue me?" Ash asked. "I heard on the news you were hunting me down!"

"Yeah, I was so I could capture you and put you in captivity. That way, no one would be out to kill you." Gary sighed. "Sorry, but you were going to die if any other group got their hands on you, so I had to act quickly to prevent it."

"I'm just glad you're okay." Ash replied. "After what they did to Lance, I was worried about you."

"Lance?" Gary asked. "What's wrong with Lance?"

"They turned him into a hybrid like me. I can only assume the same goes for Lorelei and Bruno." Ash nearly jumped when he heard a loud pounding from the other side of the metal door. "Shit, we don't have much time. Avarice is going to find a way to break back in here any second."

"Well then, let's go." Gary said impatiently. "There's an open ventilation shaft on the opposite side of the room. That's how we got in. We need to get you out of here."

"No." Ash said, standing firm. "I need to stay and fight Avarice."

"WHAT?" Gary asked incredulously.

"Pika?" The pokemon on his shoulders echoed the other man's remark.

"I need you to take Pikachu and destroy the virus. There is a large lab down the hall, but it may not be the only one." He winced as he heard another loud pounding on the door. He turned to see a large dent in the steel.

"You need to come with us!" Gary exclaimed. "Avarice is far too powerful for you to stop by yourself!"

"Exactly!" Ash yelled back. "Avarice is too strong to let run free. Even if I can't beat him, I can at least distract him." Gary's eyes widened as he saw the determined look in Ash's eyes. Pikachu shook with fear; he knew exactly what his master was talking about it.

"You can't honestly think I'll let you commit suicide like that." Gary said seriously.

"Chu!"

"It doesn't matter what you think, guys." Ash said, hands on his hips. "Here are the facts: if that virus survives tonight, Avarice will use it to destroy the human race. Avarice is way to powerful to just ignore. Someone needs to keep him busy and he will tear the both of you in two before you can even blink." Gary winced at the words. "This is important, Gary. I need you to find the virus and eliminate it."

"Okay, Ash." Gary nodded, his voice hoarse. He held his arm out. "C'mon, Pikachu."

"Pika!" The small electric rat hissed angrily. It clutched to its owner's shoulder valiantly.

"Pikachu, please." Ash pleaded his friend. "Gary's going to need your nose. You have the best chance of tracking any remaining traces of the virus."

"Pika!" It cried out in desperation, he clutched onto Ash's shirt, begging Ash not to separate them.

"Do it for me, okay Pika-pal?" Ash asked.

"P…P…" The Pokemon sputtered, then sullenly dropped its head. Sadly, it nodded in agreement. It jumped to Gary's arm and looked back at its master. "Pika Pikachu."

"I love you too buddy." Ash scratched the pokemon behind his ears. He tried hard to choke back any incoming tears. "Go make me proud, okay?"

"Chu!" The rodent saluted. There was another pound on the door.

"Okay, go!" Ash commanded them. "And Gary…if you see Misty, tell her I love her." Gary gave Ash an odd look for a second, and then regained his composure.

"You can tell her yourself." He replied.

"No, Gary. I don't think I will be able to." Ash said sadly. Gary tried his best to keep an emotionless expression.

"I'll make sure she knows." Gary responded.

"Thanks. Now go!" Ash yelled. Gary nodded and he ran over to the ventilation shaft he was talking about. Ash watched his two friends disappear into the small hole, and then turned to face the door. He took a deep breath and balled his fists. There was one more loud pound and the door caved, breaking off the hinges. Avarice stood in the doorway, looking as angry as Ash had ever seen him. By his side was a short, thick man with rough grey skin and two massive tusks jutting out from the side of his mouth. He snorted and stamped his feet.

"Donphan!" He screamed, his words marred by the tusks in his mouth.

"You have managed to anger me, Mr. Ketchum." Avarice said, slicking back his hair. "You will regret that soon enough."

"Talk, talk, talk." Ash said, narrowing his eyes. "Let's see you actually do something about it."

"Don't worry, you will." Avarice took a step forward, then paused. "Wait…where is the Pokemon Master and that Pikachu?"

"They're gone." Ash said. "It's just you and me."

"Clever. But you are going to have to do better than that." Avarice smiled slightly. "You won't catch me off-guard so easily."

"It's your move, asshole." Ash said, crossing his arms.

"Hmm. Of course." His eyes carefully scanned the rafters. "So you've decided to take advantage of the fact that I need to concentrate on someone to foresee their futures. Well, about time you started presenting a challenge. I guess that means I can step this up a notch." He held his hand out and pointed at Ash. "Donphan! Rollout attack!"

"Donphan!" The stout man screamed and he began to charge at Ash. The Ivysaur hybrid was caught off guard by how fast the fat man could run. Suddenly, the Donphan hybrid curled into a somersault and rolled right at Ash, picking up speed as he went. Ash quickly jumped to one side, barely managing to avoid the impending hit. The man didn't stop until he ran full force into the wall. The whole room shook from the collision and Ash fell off his feet onto the ground. The short man didn't even stop for a second. He uncurled and charged at Ash again before returning to a somersault position.

"Shit!" Ash exclaimed and his vines burst free from his back before shooting up into the air and wrapping around one of the rafters. He pulled himself into the air quickly as the hybrid rolled around beneath him. When he reached the steel beam his vines were holding on to, he grabbed a hold and heaved himself up on top of it. The Donphan crashed into another wall and the room shook again, nearly tossing Ash off the rafter. He held on barely by wrapping his body around it.

"One more time, Donphan." Avarice commanded his hybrid. The stout man grunted and rolled full speed into the nearest wall. Ash watched the hybrid carefully, gripping onto the steel beam and awaiting the crash. With all eyes off of him, Avarice reached to his side and pulled a revolver out of a concealed holster. He gave the chamber a quick spin and pointed the barrel of the gun into the rafters. He pulled the trigger and loud gunshot echoed through the room. Ash didn't even have time to look for it. The hot bullet entered his shoulder and tore through his muscles until it ripped its way back out the other side. Ash screamed in pain and gripped his shoulder to stop the sudden flow of blood and try and ease the searing pain. It was then that the Donphan hybrid smashed into the wall, shaking Ash off the rafter and back down to the ground. Ash hit the steel floor hard, his back cracking as he landed. Blood shot from his wound like an explosion from the sudden impact. Ash grunted and seethed as he clutched at his bleeding arm.

"Well, that looks painful." Avarice smiled and holstered the gun. "No one came to your rescue, so I assume there was no one watching me up there. I guess we really are alone. How nice."

"You had a gun the whole time?" Ash managed to ask between gritted teeth. "You fucker…I thought you said you didn't like using a gun!"

"I don't." Avarice shrugged. "I prefer to work with the Stun Stick. It's so much more…personal. But sometimes, distance provides an issue. Come on, did you really think I'd let personal preference come between brutal efficiency?"

"Ugh." Ash groaned and stumbled to his feet. "Well, you're going to need to do more than that. I've been shot before."

"I didn't think it was enough to kill you. But it will make you more sporting." He smiled. "Donphan! Flail!"

"DONPHAN!" The round hybrid snarled and charged at Ash, swinging his massive tusks from side to side. Ash held out his good arm and felt a mass of razor leaves travel up his arms. They ripped through his wrist and fired out at the charging hybrid. Each leaf seemed to throw the man off course and he eventually fell onto his side, skidding across the ground at Ash like a discarded hockey puck. Ash summoned his vines again and they wrapped around the injured man's legs tightly before he got a chance to get up. Ash began to pivot in place, swinging the massive man around and around until he eventually got airborne. The Donphan hybrid squealed unhappily. Once he was going fast enough, Ash's vines released the hybrid's ankles and sent him flying at Avarice. Avarice sighed and created a wall of light in front of him. The man's body hit the wall hard, but neither the wall or Avarice budged. The man slumped to the ground, unconscious.

"Pathetic." Avarice snorted. "I expected better, really."

"Rule number one, jackass." Ash said, panting and holding onto his bleeding arm as the vines retreated into his body. "Always check the type advantage before sending a Pokemon into the field."

"Indeed." Avarice sighed. "However, there are some other factors that can come into play. More personal aspect, in fact." He reached to his side and grabbed a pokeball, recalling the Donphan hybrid. "I would actually like to apologize for what I'm about to do next, Mr. Ketchum. I take no pride in it, but you have forced my hand."

"More of your big talk, Avarice?" Ash asked. He pulled his hand away from the wound and dropped a revolver bullet onto the ground with an echoing clink. His wound was still open, but healing quick. "You are failing to intimidate me."

"No, I'm afraid this is more than intimidation." He reached to his side and pulled out another pokeball. "This is merely playing to your weaknesses." He tossed the pokeball onto the floor. "Grimer!" He called out. "I choose you!" The ball opened up and a red beam shot into the air, forming into a goopy mess in the center of the room.

"A poison type?" Ash asked as the red beam faded and left a purple glob of sludge. "That's not one of my weaknesses."

"No all weaknesses are type-based, Mr. Ketchum." Avarice said. Ash cocked his head in confusion as he looked at the Grimer. It had no discernable face, which Ash found very odd. He stared for a bit before the violet sludge parted where Ash assumed the head to be. In a strange twist, there was a mostly human, probably female face hidden behind the veil of grime. Ash's eyes widened and he choked on the air he was breathing.

"Ash?" The Grimer asked weakly, her voice bubbling like she was gargling with crude oil. "Is that you?"

"M-mom?" Ash whispered. His hands began to shake and he took a step back. "No. No, this can't…this can't be…no…"

"Ash. Oh, my dear boy." Delia Ketchum put her sludgy hands to her mouth. "You really are alive…"

"Mom. Oh God, Mom." Ash's voice was unsteady as he reached out one hand.

"My little boy…" She garbled, oozing closer to Ash.

"I didn't devolve her past the point of speech. I wanted to allow you two to have the chance to say goodbye. I'm not a total monster." Avarice said, smiling sadly. "Okay, Grimer. You know what you have to do."

"No…no, no, no. Not against my Ash." She stared back at Avarice. The cold, unfeeling expression in his eyes was enough of an indication. She turned back to Ash worriedly. "ASH! RUN!"

"Wh-what?" Ash asked, still flabbergasted by the sight of his mother as a Grimer.

"Grimer, Sludge Bomb attack!" Avarice called out. Delia lifted her arms and, with a look of pure torture on her face, began to shoot globs of purple gunk at Ash.

"Whoa!" Ash yelled and jumped back as two globs hit the ground and began to eat away at the metal floor. He stared in shock for just a second before moving out of the way of another blob of sludge

"Run, Ash!" His mother yelled at him as she fired out sludge bombs. "I am so sorry!"

"Avarice, you BASTARD!" Ash screamed as he rolled out of the way of another hunk of grime. "I'm going to kill you!"

"Not before you kill my Pokemon." Avarice said. "Grimer, keep using Sludge Bomb."

"No, no, no…" Delia kept muttering to herself as she continued her assault on her son. Ash dodged the chunks of poisonous goop as he ran toward his mother. He could stop her, he knew he could. He had to.

He ducked under two close shots and closed the gap between them. He grabbed his mother's arms and held them apart. Her oozing sludge-like skin burned the palm of his hands and Ash cringed in pain, but he quickly fought past it. "Ash…" His mother said sadly, staring at her son with moist eyes. She continued to fire out sludge bombs, but they hit the opposing walls. "I missed you so much."

"I'm getting you out of here." Ash said, defiantly.

"Do you really believe that?" Avarice laughed. "You really are a fool. Grimer, Poison Gas."

"Go, Ash!" Delia screeched at her son as the flaps and folds of her murky skin exuded a violet gas that permeated the air. Ash quickly dropped his mom's arms and he pulled his shirt up over his mouth and nose. The gas still stung his eyes and Ash knew he had to get out.

"Sludge Bomb attack again!" Avarice commanded. Ash dove backward from his mother as her stubby arms stretched forward again and began to fire globs of grime again. Ash performed a backwards somersault as the goop flied over his head and he continued to roll around, dodging globs of acidic goo before he left the poison cloud.

"I'm sorry Ash! I can't stop!" Delia cried out, tears streaming down her face.

"I understand!" Ash yelled at her and turned to Avarice. "YOU! You are fucking dead!" He screamed. He sidestepped a pair of flying sludge bombs, and then his vines shot into the air again, wrapping around a rafter between the two men. Ash shot up into the air as the vines reeled him up then he stopped halfway, and swung at Avarice, his feet out and legs straight. Avarice sighed and created a wall of light in front of him. Ash collided with the invisible obstruction with a loud crack. Ash grunted in pain; it felt like he just ran full speed into an actual wall. His vines let go of the beam and fell to the ground harmlessly, as did Ash's body.

"Oh come on. Did you really think that was going to work? Seriously?" Avarice scoffed. "You are slipping Ketchum."

"Fuck you!" Ash rose to his feet in a flash and grabbed at Avarice's neck. Avarice was faster, however, and snatched Ash by his own throat first. Ash coughed and gagged as Avarice tightened his grip.

"You're too slow." Avarice said.

"And, ironically, you're too predictable." Ash sputtered. Ash's vines flew into the air, wrapping around a beam, and Ash lifted his body into the air so he was horizontal with Avarice's grip. Two sludge bombs that were aimed at Ash hit Avarice square in the chest. The man immediately let go of Ash and stumbled back. The acidic blobs of poison began to eat away at his clothes and Avarice quickly discarded the shirt before the poison could get to his skin.

"Grimer! Stop the Sludge Bombs!" He yelled. Ash took this opportunity to drop to his feet and use his vines to grab Avarice's arms. The preoccupied man, stared in shock that he had been duped and before he could properly recover, Ash pulled him onto the room, twirled him around, and chucked him through the air. Avarice body collided with a rack of chemicals in beakers and he fell to the ground, covered in odd substances.

"That won't hold him for long!" Ash yelled and used his vines to wrap around his mother's arms, pulling her toward him quickly.

"Ash!" Delia exclaimed as she flew through the air toward her son.

"Come on! We have to hurry before he can issue another command! Cover your ears!" Delia obediently put her hands up over her ears, or where Ash assumed her ears should be and pulled her along as they ran through the halls.

Avarice got to his feet slowly a few moments later, so shocked that he had actually been tricked. He hadn't felt true pain for such a long time it was a shock to his system. He looked around the room but saw both Ash and Delia were gone. He screamed in rage and chucked an unbroken beaker against the wall, shattering in into a thousand pieces. He seethed for a few seconds before taking a deep breath and standing up straight. He adjusted his gloves and slicked back his hair. He could see them both in his mind's eyes and it would only be a matter of time before he found them. There was no rush. He took a moment to compose himself further, and then marched out of the room in a civilized manner.

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Ash yanked open the door to a supply closet, dragged his mother into the room with him and slammed the door shut. He leaned against a wall and took a deep breath. "Are you all right?"

"I'm better now that I'm with you again, Ash." Delia said softly. She started to move in to hug her boy, but thought better of it and kept her distance, or at least as much distance as the closet allowed. "I thought you had died. I thought for sure…" She started to sob again, the tears mixing with the sludge of her body.

"Mom…" Ash muttered sadly. He was unable to say anymore. The adrenaline he was surviving off of was wearing thin and the reality of the situation hit him like a sack of bricks. He really looked at his mother for the first time. Her face was intact, but that was all of her that remained. The rest of her body was gone in a sea of sludge. Ash couldn't even touch her without it burning at his skin.

"I'm so glad…I got to see you…one more time…" Her words were scattered among her sobs.

"I'm getting you out of here, mom." Ash said. "That's why we need to go now. Avarice will be able to find us easily so we can't stay in one pla-"

"No." Delia shook her head. "That's not going to work."

"What? What do you mean?"

"Ash, honey." Delia's words were soft, but painful. "I'm Avarice's pokemon now. I belong to him. He commands me as he wishes."

"We got away once, we can keep you away." Ash insisted. Delia shook her head.

"He will use me to kill you, Ash. I can't let that happen, don't you see?"

"Mom…don't talk that way." Ash commanded her angrily. "You're leaving this place alive! Understand?!"

"You know as well as I do that there is very little chance of that happening. Avarice controls me." Tears started to flow down her face anew. "I don't want to kill my son."

"Mom…but what…you can't…how…" Ash spurted out questions, not knowing how to ask the one thing that burned at his mind.

"Ash…my boy…I need you to free me." She said, trying to put it delicately.

"WHAT?!" Ash screeched, backing against the wall. "NO! NO WAY!"

"There's no other way." Delia said softly.

"I'm not going to kill my own mother!" Ash yelled at her angrily. "How can you possibly suggest that? Do you think I'm even capable of doing that?" His eyes radiated hurt as he searched hers for an answer. The answer he got was not the one he had hoped for. Her silence told him everything. "Oh God…"

"Every moment of my life is nothing but pain, Ash." Delia said softly. "Searing pain both physical and mental. Do you need me to tell you everything Avarice has done to me? Both before and after the mutation?"

"No." Ash croaked weakly. "I don't want to know."

"And I don't want to live this way anymore. And I certainly don't want to be Avarice's tool anymore." She reached out and touched Ash's arm. It burnt like Hell, but Ash hardly felt it at that point. "There's only one way to free me."

"Mom…" Ash sputtered, hoping he could come up with something, _anything_ that could dissuade her. But he had nothing. She was right. She was horribly, terribly right.

"I wouldn't ask you to do this unless it was necessary. You know that, right?" Delia asked, carefully choosing her words.

"Yeah." Ash whispered. "Yeah, I do."

"Okay." She let go of his arm and leaned back against the wall. "I am sorry for this Ash. I'm sorry for all of this."

"It's not your fault, Mom." Ash said weakly, choking back his tears. He took off his shirt and wrapped it around his hand. "I'm sorry I can't save you. I'm sorry I let you down."

"You did no such thing." His mother garbled with her sludgy voice. "I am proud of you, Ash." Her words made Ash feel even worse as he pressed his clothed hand to his mother's sternum.

"This will hurt for a short bit." Ash instructed her, trying to keep his voice level.

"I know." His mom assured him. Ash took a deep breath and looked his mom in the eyes.

"I will kill Avarice for you. I swear to God. He is a dead man." Ash growled. Delia smiled and this time, it wasn't sad.

"Right then…you looked just like your father." She said happily.

"I can't wait any longer." Ash said weakly. "Another minute and I will lose my nerve."

"Then go ahead." Delia instructed him. Ash nodded and bit his lip as he felt the razor leaves travel up his arm. His wrist burst open and the leaves tore through the shirt wrapped around his hand and fired into Delia's body. She shook and convulsed from the hits as the leaves tore apart her insides. Her hands involuntarily grabbed at his arms. Ash didn't care at that point. He couldn't help but stare at the pained expression her eyes and the rivulets of blood the leaked out of her mouth and down her lips. Tears formed at his eyes and streamed down his cheeks and he watched his mother die in his arms.

Finally, the assault of sharp projectiles ended and Ash pulled his hand away. A large pool of blood was formed around her abdomen. Ash gulped back the bile that was threatening to expel itself from his throat. He looked into his mother's face again. The pain in her eyes was gone replaced by a look of relief.

"Thank you for freeing me, Ash." She said, coughing up blood as she spoke. "I…I love you, my son." Her last words garbled out as her head fell back and her eyes rolled into her head. Her hands lost their grip on Ash's arms. She went slack against the wall and slumped to the ground, the last traces of life leaving her body.

"I love you too." Ash whispered to the dead body. His chest shook a few times and he let out a few choked cries into the sudden silence. Then he dropped to his knees and began to bawl his eyes out, crying and screaming to the walls. He felt empty, like he was drained of all he cared about. James was right: Ash didn't know what he was talking about that day at Jessie's grave. He couldn't survive the pain of killing someone he cared about. All Ash wanted to die was curl up in a ball and die.

But he couldn't. Not yet. Not while Avarice was still alive. Ash felt the rage of his Pokemon side come to a boil. He wanted vengance. He wanted justice. He wanted blood. The anger eroded Ash's mind and he willfully let the floodgates open and allowed himself to embrace the dark side of his animal instincts once more. His blood red eyes filled with hate as he cried into the steel floor. Avarice would find him soon, and then he would have his revenge.

But for now…he had just enough time to mourn for his mother. He looked up at her dead body, slumped in a corner in a pool of her own blood, and he began crying all over again.

To Be Continued…

* * *

**Outro:** So...

How many people hate me right now? I wonder how many people forgot about Delia? And those who remembered, how many expected this? I'm guessing not many. Ash killing his own mom...yikes. Did anyone see James' comments in chpater 17 as foreshadowing? Because it definitly was. Poor Ash...looks like he's reached the point of no return, just like James. Too bad...I was beginning to like the guy.

But! This chapter also marks the death of Clayton! No character has been more hated or despised than him and I can only assume his death was followed by cheers. Funny story, Clayton started the series as a comic relief. Annoying as hell, but ultimately harmless. When he turned into a cold, unfeeling, dastradly monster, I was surprised, but liked how he turned out. He was my favorite character to write, because he angered so many people. And now he's finally dead. His death may seem a bit of a cop-out because he dies like a punk, but that's really what he deserved.

Now, once again, your list of moves:

Ash's Move List - Vine Whip, Razor Leaf, Toxic, Solarbeam

Avarice's Move List - Foresight, Reflect, Dream Eater, Psychic

Delia's Move List - Sludge Bomb, Posion Gas

Well, next time is the big one. One last update. The grand finale. The series closer. The conclusion of Hybrids: Outbreak! It's been a long road, and I'm thankful for every one of you readers! I look forward to finally giving you some closure. See you at the end!

- T.E.


End file.
